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low prairie clover

Scientific Name: Dalea scandens

Family: Fabaceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Subshrub, Forb/herb

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea)

Purple Prairie Clover is a captivating prairie wildflower celebrated for its vibrant red-violet flowers and ecological benefits.

Considerations for Pets

  • The plant has stiff, upright stems.
  • As a legume, it is often used for forage.

Considerations for Children

  • The plant has stiff, upright stems.

Common Names

  • Purple Prairie Clover

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Dalea purpurea
  • Family: Leguminosae (implied by being a legume)
  • Synonyms:
    • Based on cross-references with related species mentioned, potential related names include:
      • Petalostemum purpureum (mentioned in a mix)

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to the north-central portion of the United States.
  • Common in dry prairies, glades, and rocky open woods.
  • Favors sand loam soils and soils of low fertility.
  • Used for revegetation of western sagebrush-steppe habitats from low to moderate elevations.

Ecological Role

  • A warm-season native legume that is a deep tap-rooted soil stabilizer.
  • Provides good forage with high protein content.
  • Important for diversification and revegetation.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Perennial, typically growing to 12-36 inches tall.
  • Heavy bloomer with intensely red-violet flowers at the tips of stiff, upright stems.
  • Leaves may be densely packed on the lower part of the stem.
  • Deep taproot.

Growth Habits

  • Drought-tolerant.
  • Prefers full sun.
  • Easy to grow in average, well-drained soils.
  • Seed germination rate can be low but improved by scarification.
  • Slow to develop.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Excellent forage for grazers.
  • Serves as a foodplant for the Southern Dogface butterfly on Low Prairie-Clover (Dalea scandens).