Dalea purpurea

Scientific Name: Dalea purpurea

Common Name: Purple Prairie Clover

Exposure: Full sun

Blooming Time: June to August

Bloom Duration: 6 to 8 weeks

Fragrance: Light, sweet fragrance

Plant Growing Habit: Upright, clump-forming

Characteristics: A hardy North American native perennial with slender stems and finely textured, fern-like foliage. Produces dense, cylindrical spikes of rosy-purple flowers that bloom progressively from the bottom to the top of each flower head. An exceptional nectar source for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators. As a member of the pea family, it fixes nitrogen, improving soil health. Ideal for prairie gardens, meadows, native plantings, pollinator gardens, and naturalized landscapes. Deer and rabbit resistant once established.

Spacing: 30 to 45 cm apart

Height: 45 to 90 cm

Width: 30 to 45 cm

Maintenance Requirements: Low maintenance. Prefers full sun and well-drained sandy, gravelly, or loamy soils. Water regularly during establishment; once established, it is highly drought-tolerant and rarely requires supplemental watering. Avoid overly rich or poorly drained soils, as they can reduce longevity. Deadheading is optional, but leaving the seed heads provides winter interest and food for birds. Cut back old stems in early spring before new growth emerges. Fertilization is generally unnecessary. Exceptionally hardy and well-suited to Canadian gardens in Zones 3–8.

Images Courtesy Of Ball Horticultural Company of Ball Seed or www.ballseed.com