Dalea purpurea Vent.

Purple Prairie Clover; Violet Prairie Clover

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Purple Prairie Clover is a native herbaceous perennial in the Bean family (Fabaceae). It is native to the Black Belt region of central Alabama and the Tennessee Valley region of north Alabama. Purple Prairie Clover occurs in prairies, in cedar glades, and in open woodlands underlain by limestone. It is a perennial with a tap root. Several erect or sprawling stems are produced from each rootstock. The stems are green in color, 4-angled, branched above the middle, and from 8-20 inches in height. The stems are inconspicuously pubescent with short, soft hairs. Leaves are alternate and odd-pinnate with 3-5 leaflets. The leaflets are linear to filiform in outline, involute or folded, and dark green in color. Flowers are produced in terminal conic to cylendric heads. Involucre bracts are absent, but interfloral bract tips are exserted and conspicuous in bud. The calyx has appressed or matted hairs covering its surface. The corolla has 5 red-purple petals. The fruit is an indehiscent legume that is enclosed in the persistent calyx. Purple Prairie Clover is available as seed or plants from some native nurseries. It prefers a well-draining basic or neutral soil in full sun. Plants are drought tolerant once established. It can be used along bed borders, in rock gardens, and in meadows or prairies. Purple Prairie Clover is similar to Gattinger's Prairie Clover (Dalea gattingeri (Heller) Barneby) and Cahaba Prairie Clover (Dalea cahaba J. Allison). Those species are more decumbent in growth form, branch below the middle, and more restricted in distribution.--A. Diamond

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Native

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