Dalea purpurea (Purple Prairie Clover)

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Detailed Information

Flower:

Tiny 5-petaled purple flowers with orange or yellow-tipped stamens in a thimble-shaped flower head ½ to 2½ inches long. The flowers bloom from the bottom of the spike up; the upper part of the spike is a dull gray. One plant may have several flower heads.

Leaves:

Small compound leaves 1½ to 3 inches long, with 3 to 7 narrow leafets each up to 1 inch long. The leaves are often densly packed on the lower part of the stem and more sparse on the upper part. Attachment is alternate.

Notes:

Purple Prairie Clover often grows in clumps. The field where these photos were taken had Black-eyed Susans in bloom at the same time. It was a very pretty contrast.

More photos

• a clump of Purple Prairie Clover

All photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN July 2006.

Comments

Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?