Plant Name

Scientific Name: Dalea albiflora

Synonyms: Dalea ordiae, Petalostemon pilosulus

Common Names: Whiteflower Prairie Clover, Scruffy Prairie Clover, Scurfy Prairie Clover

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial

Growth Habit: Subshrub, Herb/Forb

Arizona Native Status: Native

Habitat: Upland, Mountain. It can occasionally be spotted in mountain foothill canyons in the desert.

Flower Color: White

Flowering Season: Spring (late), Summer, Fall (early)

Height: To 2 feet (61 cm) tall

Description: The small, pea-like flowers are in 1 1/2 inch (3.8 cm) long, fuzzy, terminal flower spikes. The individual flowers have 5 petals and 10 stamens. The leaves are pinnately compound with fuzzy, oval, grayish green leaflets. Like the leaves, the stems are covered in fuzzy, white hairs.

The similar White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida) has hairless leaves and stems.

Special Characteristics

Butterfly Plant – The flowers attract numerous butterflies and other insects. This plant and the similar White Prairie Clover are perhaps the best butterfly-attracting plants found here and would make great additions to a butterfly garden.

Classification

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae – Pea family
Genus: Dalea L. – prairie clover
Species: Dalea albiflora A. Gray – whiteflower prairie clover

More About This Plant

Arizona County Distribution Map
Deformed Whiteflower Prairie Clover (Dalea albiflora) – The Firefly Forest