Purple Prairie Clover vs Twinflower - TreeTime.ca

Purple Prairie Clover vs Twinflower

Linnaea borealis

Dalea purpurea

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Twinflower
Purple Prairie Clover

Twinflower is a native, trailing evergreen ground cover known for its delicate flowers that grow in nodding pairs. These pale pink blooms are described as being sweetly fragrant, attracting native bees and other pollinators.

Growing in cool, moist, acidic soils, the trailing stems form roots as they spread and start to form mats across the forest floor. Due to its woody stem, it is technically classified as a shrub and often referred to as a subshrub or dwarf shrub. This species is well-suited for naturalization, restoration, and conservation projects.

Twinflower (Linneae borealis) was named in honour of Carl Linnaeus, who adopted it as his personal emblem.

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.

Twinflower Quick Facts

Purple Prairie Clover Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.1 m (0.4 ft)
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: any
Light: full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: creeping or trailing, ground cover
Spreading: stolons - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: none


Fall colour: reddish tinge
Flowers: Pink, bell-shaped, fragrant pairs
Flowers: purple flowers in dense cone-like heads
Bloom time: summer
Bloom time: mid summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, SK, MB, ON
Other Names: northern twinflower, pink bells
Other Names: violet prairie-clover