Prairie Clover, White (Dalea candida)

White Prairie Clover, old and new flower

PLANT INFO

Common Name	Prairie Clover, White
Popular Name(s)
Scientific Name	Dalea candida
Family Name
Type	Legume
Longevity	Perennial
Origin	Native

PLANT PHOTOS

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PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION 

Whole Plant (Growth Form) Characteristics	60-90 cm tall
Leaf Characteristics	Alternate, 2-6 cm long, compound with 5/7/9 leaflets, bright green, leaflets are narrowly oblancolate, sharp tip, tiny speckled underside, folded along the midrib, smooth margins
Stem Characteristics	1 or many stems, branching near the top, ribbed, hairless
Flower and Flowering Head Characteristics	Terminal, 1-5 cm spike, white, 1 larger and 4 narrow petals, flowers bloom from bottom to top of the spike
Fruit Characteristics	2.5-2.4 mm long, glandular, 1 seed, brownish-green pods
Seed Characteristics	1.5-2 mm long, brown, kidney shaped
Other Notable Visual Characteristics
Look-Alikes	Purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea): White prairie clover is less clump forming and has wider leaflets than purple prairie clover

HABITAT AND PHENOLOGY

Habitat	Dry prairies, rocky upland woods, well drained soils
Plant Emergence Time	May
Flowering Period	Mid June-August
Fruit / Seed Period	September

FUNCTIIONAL VALUE

Food Value	Edible, sweet
Toxins
Cultural Value	Consumed by First Nations as food and roots were boiled drunk to prevent disease
Pollinator Value	Wasp, bees, flies, moths, butterflies
Other Modern Uses