Perennial
Purple Prairie Clover
Dalea purpurea
Rose-purple thimbles that bees mob in midsummer. A nitrogen-fixing prairie native.
- Pollinator
- Native
- Deer-resistant
Quick facts
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 3–8
- Water
- Very low once established
- Sun
- Full sun
- Size
- 12–24 in. tall × 12–18 in. wide
- Bloom & interest
- Thimble-shaped rose-purple flower heads in early to midsummer
- Plant type
- Perennial
- Native range
- Native across the Great Plains and Midwest, including eastern Colorado and New Mexico
Why we recommend it
A deep-rooted native legume that feeds native bees, improves poor soil by fixing nitrogen, and survives on rainfall once established.
Best regions: Front RangeGreat PlainsHigh DesertTexas
How to grow it
Watering to establish
Water weekly the first summer; the deep taproot makes it fully drought tolerant afterward.
Pruning
Cut back old stems in early spring.
Soil
Lean sandy, rocky or clay-loam soil that drains; no fertilizer (it makes its own nitrogen).
Pairs well with
Read more
Where to buy
Shop Purple Prairie Clover from trusted growers. For the best selection of xeric plants, try a mail-order specialist or ask a local independent nursery.
- High Country Gardens (opens in a new tab)Xeric specialist
- Nature Hills Nursery (opens in a new tab)Wide selection
- American Meadows (opens in a new tab)Perennials & seeds
- Etsy (opens in a new tab)Small growers
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