Minnesota Wildflowers


or try: advanced plant search
Share |

Dalea villosa (Silky Prairie Clover)

Plant Info
Also known as: Downy Prairie Clover
Genus:Dalea
Family:Fabaceae (Pea)
Life cycle:perennial
Origin:native
Habitat:sun; dry; sandy soil, prairies
Bloom season:July - August
Plant height:12 to 18 inches
USDA PLANTS database:Minnesota county distribution map
Spotted in Ramsey County at:

Pick an image for a larger view. Most image enlargements are 50-100KB, though some may be larger. See the glossary for icon descriptions.

Detailed Information

Flower: 5-petals spike

[photo of flower] A tightly packed cylindrical spike, 1 to 5 inches long, of tiny flowers with long pale yellow-tipped stamens. Flower color ranges from lavender to pink, and is sometimes white. One plant can have several spikes.

Leaves and stem: alternate compound

[photo of leaves] Compound leaves are about 1 inch long and have up to 21 narrow leaflets, each about ¼ inch long. Leaves are covered in fine tan hairs, giving the leaves a grayish hue. The main stem is also densely covered in fine hairs.

Notes:

Silky Prairie Clover is similar to Lead Plant; both grow in clumps in the same type of habitat, have long spikes with protruding stamens and hairy compound leaves. Lead Plant is generally a larger plant, however, with larger leaves, its flowers are more blue in color, and the stem is woody and hairless. It also blooms earlier. Silky Prairie Clover comes in when Lead Plant goes out.

Where to buy native seed and plants

Help support this site by buying seeds & plants from these vendors. Tell them we sent you!

  • Out Back Nursery and Landscaping - Where Ecology and Horticulture Unite
  • Shooting Star Native Seeds - Native Prairie Grass and Wildflower Seeds
  • Prairie Restorations - Bringing people together with the land
  • Shop for native seeds and plants at PrairieMoon.com!

Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest

More photos

Photos taken at Long Lake Regional Park, New Brighton, MN, July 2007

Comments

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

Post a comment

Note: All comments are moderated before posting to keep the riff-raff out. An email address is required, but will not be posted—it will only be used for information exchange between the 2 of us (if needed) and will never be given to a 3rd party without your express permission.

For info on subjects other than plant identification (gardening, invasive species control, edible plants, etc.), please check the links and invasive species pages for additional resources.



(required)




Note: Comments or information about plants outside of Minnesota may not be posted because I’d like to keep the focus of this web site on Minnesota. Thanks for your understanding.