Native Plant Database

Header Photo: Mervin Wallace

Purple Prairie Clover

Dalea purpurea
Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennials
Native Environment: Glade, Prairie, Savanna / Woodland
Season of Interest: Late (July - frost)
Main Color: Purple
Fall Color:

USDA PLANTS Range Map

At the range map link above, zoom in for county-level data

Sun Exposure 
Full Sun, Medium Sun/Average Shade
Soil
Moisture
Dry, Moderate
Nature Attracting
Butterfly, Pollinators/Beneficial Insects
Wildlife Benefit
Butterfly / Moth Host, Butterfly / Moth Nectar, Food/Pollinators
Animal
Resistance
Size

Height:

12 to
24
inches

Spread:

16 to
24
inches
Size
Height: 12 to
24
inches
Spread: 16 to
24
inches
Size
Height: 12 to
24
inches
Spread: 16 to
24
inches
Typical Landscape Use
Use in the perennial border, the native garden, wildflower meadows and prairies.
Establishment and Care Instructions
Grow in full sun in well-drained soil. A thick deep taproot enables this plant to tolerate drought.
Special Features
Special Usage
Fresh Cut Flower, Salt Tolerant
Basic Description

Lots of conelike heads of purple flowers dance on top of wiry stems in summer. Small dark leaves give the plant a ferny appearance. This nitrogen-fixer is an important component of Midwestern prairies.

Where Should I Start?

Check out the Grow Native! Committee’s Top Ten picks of native plants for a particular purpose.

What’s the Next Step?

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Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?

Learn about the Native Environment(s) inhabited by the plants in this database.

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