Dalea villosa, Silky Prairie Clover
Pictures to Come!
Silky Prairie Clover is new to Shelterwood in spring of 2023. Started from seed, it is a slow grower much like that other leguminous prairie species -Leadplant. Silky P.C. has fine, gray-green leaves, pale purple flowers and, at maturity, is somewhat smaller than Leadplant.
It is a little odd in that most of the recorded specimens in Minnesota were located in the regions along the Mississippi corridor. With that info, let's make the case for sandy, very well-draining soil! It is also found in the Red River Valley and Aspen Parklands regions near the border with North Dakota, both of which have a drier climate than the Mississippi corridor. Another comparison between Leadplant and Silky Prairie Clover shows that Leadplant has a broader range, extending east into Illinois and deep into the Midwestern south, where Silky P.C. is largely a high plains plant that has managed to find its way north and east into the sandy regions of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Blooms: pale purple-pink, July into August
Height: 12 to 18 inches
Conditions: sun, dry to medium-dry soils, well-draining
