SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dalea purpurea
COMMON NAME: Purple Prairie Clover, Purple Prairie- clover
BLOOM TIME: July, Aug, Sept
INSECT/ANIMAL INTERACTIONS:
- The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract many kinds of insects, including honeybees, bumblebees, and cuckoo bees.
- Cuckoo bees are nest parasites and rely on other bees to raise their young.
- Mammalian herbivores readily eat this highly palatable plant that is high in protein.
- Small rodents may carry the seeds to their dens, which may aid in the distribution of this plant.