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Dalea Purpurea, or Purple Prairie Clover, is one of North America's most extraordinary and eye-catching native perennial flowers. Despite its common name, it isn't a clover. It forms an upright clump of vertical stems clothed in unique, fern-like, compound leaves with narrow leaflets reaching up to 3 feet high and 18 inches wide. From early to midsummer, cylindrical, cone-like flower buds appear at the top of the stems, sporting tiny purple flowers with golden-orange anthers. The flowers first open in a ring around the base of the cone, moving gradually up the cone. Butterflies and other beneficial pollinators will flock to the flowers, and they are also excellent for acting and use in a floral arrangement. Purple Prairie Clove is easy to grow in USDA Zones 3a-8b, prefers a moist, well-drained soil, and is highly drought tolerant when established.

Growing up to 3 feet tall and 18 inches wide, the Purple Prairie Clover is ideal for use as an accent in smaller garden spaces or grouped in larger garden borders. Its upright growth habit and ferny foliage texture also lovely in container gardens. It is a fine addition to cut flower gardens, butterfly gardens, beneficial pollinator gardens, native gardens, cottage gardens, meadow gardens, wildflower gardens, purple theme gardens, and the Xeriscape (low water needs).

Purple Prairie Clover is easy to grow in moist, well-drained soil and full sun or part shade. Five or more hours of sunlight is suggested for best flowering and overall performance. It is exceptionally drought-tolerant when established. It can be cut back to just above the ground in winter or early spring. 

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