Purple Prairie Clover

Scientific Name: Dalea purpurea Vent. var. purpurea

Purple Prairie Clover

General Information
Usda Symbol	DAPUP
Group	Dicot
Life Cycle	Perennial
Growth Habits	Forb/herbSubshrub,
Native Locations	DAPUP

Plant Guide

Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Purple Prairie Clover.

Fact Sheet

Uses

Erosion Control: Purple prairie clover is used in a mixture with grass and forbs to prevent soil erosion on dam structures, roadsides, and other critical erodible areas. Wildlife: Purple prairie clover is readily consumed by many types of wildlife. During early growth stages, its foliage is consumed due to its high nutritional value. Purple prairie clover seed is consumed by birds and small mammals. The purple flowers also attract many different species of pollinators such as bees and butterflies. Livestock: Purple prairie clover can be grazed by livestock, primarily sheep and goats. This plant is highly palatable and nutritious. Landscaping/Beautification: Purple prairie clover is used in wildlife gardens, parks, prairie restorations, and recreation areas.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site (http://plants.usda.gov) and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

Weediness

This plant may become weedy or invasive in some regions or habitats and may displace desirable vegetation if not properly managed. Please consult your local NRCS Field Office, Cooperative Extension Service office, state natural resource, or state agriculture department regarding its status and use. Weed information is also available from the PLANTS Web site at http://www.plants.usda.gov . Please consult this and Related Web Sites and view the plant profile for this species for further information.

Description

Purple prairie clover is a native, warm-season, perennial legume. The plant has one to many stems that grow up to 2.5 feet long from a woody, stout taproot that branches near the surface. The leaves are about one inch long and very narrow. They alternate and have an average of five leaflets per pinnate compound. The flowers appear on the end of the stems and have cylindrical floral spikes about two inches long. The flowers open beginning at the base of the flower head and progress up to the tip. Seed is produced in a seed pod about ½ inch long. The seed pod will contain between one to two seed each. Purple prairie clover blooms from April to June with the seed maturing from mid July to late August

Adaptation

Purple prairie clover is adapted to slopes along hillsides, prairies, and plains. The plant is widely distributed throughout central, south, and west Texas. It occurs mostly on sandy, sandy loam, and other moderately drained soils Purple prairie clover area of distribution from PLANTS database.