Dalea candida
white prairie clover
Overview
Dalea candida is an upright perennial legume of the central North American prairies, growing 12-36 inches (30-90 cm) tall and 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) wide from a deep, woody taproot. The stems are slender and mostly unbranched, carrying pinnately compound leaves with 5-9 narrow leaflets each 0.3-1 inch (8-25 mm) long. From June to August it bears dense, cylindrical flower spikes 0.5-2 inches (1.5-5 cm) long at the stem tips, opening from the base upward into rings of small white flowers. As a legume, it fixes nitrogen through root nodules and grows on lean soils where many plants fail. D. candida grows in tallgrass and mixed-grass prairie, on rocky hillsides, and along roadsides from Canada south into Texas and northern Mexico. It tolerates drought and poor soil once its taproot is established but transplants poorly because of that taproot and is slow to grow from seed. Bees and other insects work the flower spikes, and the seeds feed birds and small mammals. The foliage is grazed by livestock and native herbivores. Plants are hardy in USDA zones 3-8 and die back to the root crown each winter, returning in late spring.
Native Range
Dalea candida is native to central North America, ranging from the prairie provinces of Canada south through the Great Plains to Texas and into northern Mexico. It grows in tallgrass and mixed-grass prairie, on dry rocky slopes, and in open disturbed ground.Suggested Uses
Used in prairie restorations, native meadows, pollinator plantings, and dry sunny borders. It is spaced 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) apart in groups and combines with prairie grasses and other forbs. The deep taproot also helps hold soil on dry slopes.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1' - 3'
Width/Spread1' - 1'6"
Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years
Bloom Information
Flowering runs from June to August. Each cylindrical spike opens in a ring of small white flowers that advances from the base toward the tip over one to two weeks. Bees and other insects gather pollen and nectar from the spikes.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Dalea candida grows in full sun with 6 or more hours of direct light and well-drained loam, sand, rocky, or clay soil at pH 6.0 to 8.0. As a deep-taprooted legume it tolerates drought and lean ground and needs little water once established. It fixes its own nitrogen and grows weakly in rich, fertilized soil. The taproot makes container culture and transplanting difficult, so it is usually grown from seed sown in place. Plants are hardy in zones 3-8 and need no winter protection.Pruning
No routine pruning is needed. Spent flower spikes can be left to set seed for birds and self-sowing or cut back after bloom to keep a tidy form. Stems die to the ground in autumn and are cleared in late winter before new growth begins.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
winter