Get to Know Your Grasslands: Purple Prairie Clover
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Throughout the summer months, a variety of beautiful native wildflowers will be blooming across the prairies. One of the common species to see is Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea). It blooms for 4-6 weeks during the summer and has a compact cylindrical spike with many vibrant purple flowers. The leaves are alternate and pinnately compound with 3-5 linear leaflets, and the stems are red with some hairs. This plant grows 1-3 feet tall in a procumbent to erect growth habit from a thick and woody taproot. A similar species to Purple Prairie-Clover is White Prairie-Clover (Dalea candida). This species also has a compact spike head, but has white flowers instead of purple. The leaf shape differs between these two species as Purple Prairie-Clover has 3-5 linear leaflets, while White Prairie-Clover has wider leaflets that are oblong to oblanceolate with 5, 7, or 9 leaflets.
Purple Prairie Clover grows in a variety of ecosystems. It can be found in open prairies as well as drier hillsides. It is heat and drought resistant. Purple Prairie-Clover provides excellent forage for livestock and wildlife living in the grasslands. This species is high in protein and highly palatable. It is also a decreaser species meaning it will decrease in abundance in response to grazing pressure. The presence of Purple Prairie-Clover can be an indicator of a healthy rangeland.
Purple Prairie-Clover is an excellent option to include in native seed mixes for restoration or to include in yards and gardens. The seeds require scarification, which helps to breakdown the hardy seed coat, in order for them to germinate. This plant attracts native species of bees and butterflies for pollination. Not only is Purple Prairie-Clover good for pollinators like many other native wildflower species, but it is also a legume and is a nitrogen-fixing plant. It plays an important role in fixing nitrogen into the soil which helps to create and maintain healthy soils. This benefits other plants growing nearby and the ecosystem as a whole.
Purple Prairie-Clover is a beautiful plant to come across in the native grasslands. Its roles as a highly nutritious source of forage, attracting pollinators, and nitrogen-fixation make it a valuable part of our diverse grassland ecosystems. Protecting our native grasslands ensures that species like these have a place to grow and to help contribute to healthy ecosystems.
Author: Kaitlyn Harrison
References: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. (2018). Field guide to selected native forages for the Canadian prairie grasslands. Growit Buildit. (2024). Purple Prairie-Clover – a total guide to Dalea purpurea. Retrieved from https://growitbuildit.com/purple-prairie-dalea-purpurea/ Saskatchewan Forage Council. (2007). Field Guide: Identification of Common Range Plants of Southern Saskatchewan. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Forage Council. Saskatchewan Wildflowers. (2024). Dalea purpurea (Purple Prairie-Clover) – photos and description. Retrieved from https://www.saskwildflower.ca/nat_Dalea-purpurea.html The University of Texas at Austin. (2016). Dalea purpurea. Retrieved from https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=dapu5