Dalea candida is a flowering legume best known as white prairie clover. Found throughout the middle of the US, as well as select other states, white prairie clover can thrive in a variety of environments including prairies, opening in forests, and more.
White prairie clover most prominent feature is the cone-like spikes at the tops of its stems. From these, pure white flower petals bloom. When fully grown, white prairie clover reaches heights of 3 feet with roots growing 5-6 feet deep. This makes it resistant to drought, wildfires, and more.
Due to its attractive appearance, white prairie clover is often used in gardens and parks. Native Americans once used it for treating stomachaches, fever, and more. It was also an ingredient in snake bite treatments.
Adding White Prairie Clover to Your CRP Mix
Thanks to its versatility and drought-resistant properties, white prairie clover is commonly used in CRP seed mixes from Pheasants Forever and other distributors. It’s especially popular when establishing pollinator habitat. White prairie clover is known to attract bumblebees, wasps, and more. It also hosts larva for a number of butterfly species. Thanks to its rich protein content, wildlife such as deer and rabbits also use it as a food source.
White prairie clover blooms early to mid-summer. Though its slow to develop, it’s otherwise considered to be low maintenance
With the exception of its petal color, white prairie clover looks nearly identical to purple prairie clover. This is an important distinction however, since different pollinators are attracted to specific colors. Purple prairie clover and white prairie clover can both be utilized in the same pollinator seed mix to great effect.
If you’re looking to purchase CRP seed with white prairie clover, All Native Seed is here for you. In addition to our own proprietary seed mixes, we can provide quotes for mixes developed by NRCS. Either way, you can trust that you’re getting the highest quality CRP seed with superior purity and germination rates.
If you prefer to have someone select your CRP seed for you, our parent company FDCE provides full-service CRP solutions. Not only does this include seed selection and purchasing, but they also take care of planting, herbicide application, and report submission to FSA. Thanks to CRP’s cost-share reimbursement, their services practically pay for themselves.
To learn more about what FDCE can do for you, visit their website here.