Purple Prairie Clover vs Alpine Bluegrass - TreeTime.ca

Purple Prairie Clover vs Alpine Bluegrass

Dalea purpurea

Poa alpina

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Purple Prairie Clover
Alpine Bluegrass

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.

Alpine Bluegrass is a native perennial bunchgrass adapted to cold, high-altitude, and northern environments. It establishes well in harsh mountain and tundra conditions, thriving even in nutrient-poor soils. Its dense tufts provide reliable ground cover in alpine and subalpine habitats.

Hardy and low-maintenance, Alpine Bluegrass is valued in revegetation and erosion control projects due to its strong root system. It provides forage for wildlife and livestock, while its dense growth also offers cover for small animals. Well-suited for reclamation and soil stabilization in high-elevation and northern regions, Alpine Bluegrass is a key species for strengthening fragile landscapes, though it is also found in lower-elevation sites.

Purple Prairie Clover Quick Facts

Alpine Bluegrass Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 3a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: any
Growth rate: very fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: clump-forming
Spreading: 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, MB, ON, QC, NS, NL, YT, NT, NU
Other Names: violet prairie-clover
Other Names: alpine speargrass, mountain speargrass