Summary ²

Dalea purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name purple prairie clover, better written as "prairie-clover," in recognition of the fact that it is not a true clover (genus Trifolium).

Description ³

Family:
Fabaceae (Pea)

Height:
1 to 2 feet

Leaves: Alternate along stem (0.5-0.75 inches long), divided into 5-7 narrow leaves. Appear similar to white prairie clover but leaves are smaller, narrower, and have a citrusy fragrance.

Flower:
Cylindrical flower head with tiny purplish pink flowers

Bloom time:
June-August

Nicknames:
Red Tassel Flower

Habitat:
Prairies, fields

Wildlife Benefits:
Attractive to butterflies and bees

Can I plant this in my garden?
Performs well in dry soils and full sun. Tolerates most soil types.

References:
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/purple-prairie-clover
https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/ppr_cloverx.htm

Range ³

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, all rights reserved, uploaded by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District
2. Adapted by Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalea_purpurea
3. (c) Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

More Info

• iNaturalistAU taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• eFloras.org
• Flora of North America (beta)
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Go Botany
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• SEINet Symbiota portals
• Tropicos
• USDA PLANTS database
• VASCAN by Canadensys
• World Flora Online

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