Dalea candida Willd.

White Prairie Clover

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

White Prairie Clover is a native herbaceous perennial in the Bean family (Fabaceae). It occurs in the Black Belt region of central Alabama, the Tennessee Valley in northwest Alabama, and in the Jackson Prairie/Lime Hills region of southwest Alabama. White Prairie Clover occurs in prairies, in cedar glades, and in open woodlands over limestone. It is a perennial with a stout taproot. There are usually multiple stems from each root crown. The stems are erect to ascending, green to reddish-brown in color, and glabrous. The stems are 2-3 feet in height. Leaves are alternate, odd pinnately compound with 5-9 leaflets. The leaflets are elliptic to oblanceolate in outline, entire, and glabrous. The leaflets are flat or slightly folded. Flowers are produced in dense terminal spikes. The spikes are conical to cylindrical in shape on long peduncles. The flowers have 5 white petals. The fruit is a l-seeded indehiscent legume that is partly or completely enclosed in the persistent calyx. White Prairie Clover is similar to White Tassels (Dalea albida (Torr. & A. Gray) D.B. Ward). It differs in having a calyx tube that is not incised on ventral side, and with the blade of the standard petal broad and cordate. In White Tassels the calyx tube is deeply incised on ventral surface, and the blade of standard petal is obovate to scoop shaped. White Tassels occurs only in the southern half of Alabama. White Prairie Clover is sometimes available, especially as seed. Plants prefer a well-draining soil in full sun. It tolerates heavy clay soils and is drought tolerant. It can be used in a perennial bed, in meadows, in prairies, and in rock gardens. White Prairie Clover is a larval food plant for Southern Dogface (Zerene cesonia) and Reakirt's Blue (Echinargus isola) Butterflies.--A. Diamond

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Native

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