Purple Prairie Clover

Purple Prairie Clover is a must-have pollinator plant that fixes nitrogen in the soil and is an important component of prairie restoration. Its native range includes prairie habitats east of the Rocky Mountains, from southern Canada to Texas and Georgia. Plant in average to dry, well-drained soils in full sun in hardiness zones 3-8. Plants produce unbranched stems two feet tall or more, with erect, wiry stems holding blooms aloft. Established plants send up multiple stems from the base, giving a bushy appearance. In addition to native bees, plants attract a variety of beneficial insects, including syrphid flies and bee flies. Purple Prairie Clover serves as a host plant to caterpillars of the Dogface Sulphur Butterfly and Reakirt’s Blue Butterflies.