Purple Prairie Clover

by Valerie (October 15, 2000)
revised August 14, 2003

Try saying this name three times quickly. When walking out in fields, I had really enjoyed the beauty of purple prairie clover (Petalostemum purpureum), and tried collecting seeds to start it in our gardens. These were unsuccessful attempts, so I eventually just transplanted a couple of small plants, and those have taken just fine. This drought-hardy perennial needs full sun and doesn't like to be crowded by other plants. The leaves are very fine and lacy and the flowers grow on the ends of foot-long stems. After the flower head forms, the individual blooms open starting at the base, and, over a period of a week or so, gradually move up to the tip.