Desmanthus illinoensis (Michx.) MacMill. ex B.L. Rob. & Fernald

Prairie Bundle Flower; Prairie Mimosa

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Prairie Bundle Flower is a native herbaceous perennial in the Bean family (Fabaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Prairie Bundle Flower occurs in a wide variety of habitats, but is most common in areas with basic soils. Prairie Bundle Flower occurs in prairies, on limestone outcrops and glades, along the floodplain of large rivers, on roadsides, and in disturbed areas. It is an erect or decumbent perennial from a taproot. Stems are glabrous, green in color, grooved, sparsely branched, and up to 6 feet in height. Leaves are opposite, petiolate, and bipinnately compound. The leaves “close” at night and orient themselves in the direction of the sun in the mornings and evenings. Flowers are produced in dense 20-50 flowered heads from the axils of the leaves. Each flower has 5 small white petals and yellow stamens. The fruit is a curved 2-5 seeded legume. Deer browse the foliage, the flowers are visited by bees, and the seed are eaten by birds. Prairie Bundle Flower is easily grown from seed. It prefers a basic soil in full to partial sun. It tolerates drought and heavy clays soils. Prairie Bundle Flower is sometimes included in wildflower seed mixes, but can become weedy.—A. Diamond.

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Native FAC (NWPL)

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