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Dalea candida
Dalea candida Michx. ex Willd.
White Prairie Clover
Fabaceae (Pea Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: DACA7
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
Often occuring in patches, these perennials bear at least 8-10 slender, 1-2 ft. stems and groups of short, narrow leaflets. Tiny, individual flowers cluster around a cylinder-like cone. Several branched stems with smooth, bright green leaves, and dense spikes of white, bilaterally symmetrical flowers. The bright, white flowers start as a ring around the base of the cone and work upward as the season advances.
This species, and others with only five stamens and petals that are all rather similar, were once placed in the genus Petalostemon. White Dalea (D. albiflora), found from Arizona and southwestern New Mexico south to Mexico, resembles White Prairie Clover but has 10 stamens.
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Subshrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: Up to about 2 feet tall.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: WhiteBloom Time: May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep
Distribution
USA: AL , AR , AZ , CO , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MN , MO , MS , MT , ND , NE , NH , NM , OK , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , WI , WYCanada: SK
Native Distribution: Central Canada south, mostly along eastern slopes of Rocky Mountains, to Colorado, New Mexico, western Texas, and Mexico south to Oaxaca; west to Utah and Arizona; and east across Plains states to Illinois and Alabama.
Native Habitat: Two varieties in Texas scattered in sandy, rocky or clayey soil in prairies and open woods from east and southeast Texas to north central Texas, the Plains Country and the Trans-Pecos
Growing Conditions
Water Use: MediumLight Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
Conditions Comments: Dalea candida is a delicate looking plant with white flowers. This plant is easily grown from seed in situ or transferred as small plants as it develops a deep taproot. It is best planted in a light to medium soil mixture in full sun. This plant is drought tolerant but can accept summer water. It is a larval host plant for the Dogface butterfly.
Benefit
Conspicuous Flowers: yesAttracts: Birds , Butterflies
Nectar Source: yes
Deer Resistant: No
Value to Beneficial Insects
Special Value to Native BeesSpecial Value to Bumble Bees
Special Value to Honey Bees
This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Find Seed or Plants
Order seed of this species from Native American Seed and help support the Wildflower Center.
Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.
View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Bibliography
Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, SallyBibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
Bibref 1294 - The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.
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Research Literature
Reslit 2888 - The genus Dalea (Fabaceae) in Alabama (2013) Woods, M. and W.S. HughesThis information was provided by the Florida WIldflower Foundation.
Search More Titles in Research Literature
From the Archive
Wildflower Newsletter 1990 VOL. 7, NO.4 - Research Update, Wild-Collecting Endangers Natives, Director's Report, Maryland ...Additional resources
USDA: Find Dalea candida in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Dalea candida in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Dalea candida
Metadata
Record Modified: 2013-10-24Research By: DEW, JSC, GDB