Purple Prairie Clover vs Bluebunch Wheatgrass - TreeTime.ca

Purple Prairie Clover vs Bluebunch Wheatgrass

Dalea purpurea

Pseudoroegneria spicata

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Purple Prairie Clover
Bluebunch Wheatgrass

Purple Prairie Clover is a native perennial wildflower known for its striking purple blooms. The flower heads grow as dense spikes on tall stems, with each flower head containing many tiny blossoms. Blooming for 4–6 weeks in the summer, it attracts a variety of pollinators, including bees and butterflies.

The high protein content of the Purple Prairie Clover makes it excellent forage for wildlife and birds like to feed on its seeds. As a nitrogen-fixing plant, it enriches the soil, improving fertility and benefiting nearby vegetation. These ecological contributions make it a great choice for pollinator gardens, prairie & rangeland restoration, naturalization, and re-vegetation efforts.

This drought and heat-tolerant plant thrives in various soil conditions, including rocky soil, making it remarkably easy to grow in challenging environments. As a perennial, it dies back to the crown each winter, it will regrow from the base in the spring. Avoid disturbing the crown during late winter to ensure healthy growth the following season.

Bluebunch Wheatgrass is a native perennial bunchgrass common across prairies, foothills, and open woodlands. It has a long life span, unlike many other grasses.
This grass competes well with invasive species, has extensive root systems and is drought tolerant. It provides forage for deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and is extremely palatable by livestock. Its seeds are eaten by birds and small mammals, while its dense clumps offer nesting and shelter.

Purple Prairie Clover Quick Facts

Bluebunch Wheatgrass Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: very fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Spreading: tillering - high, seeds - medium
Suckering: none


Flowers: purple flowers in dense cone-like heads
Bloom time: mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, SK, MB, ON
Native to: AB, BC, SK, YT
Other Names: violet prairie-clover