Purple Prairie Clover vs Lewis Mock Orange - TreeTime.ca

Purple Prairie Clover vs Lewis Mock Orange

Dalea purpurea

Philadelphus lewisii

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Purple Prairie Clover
Lewis Mock Orange

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.

Lewis Mock Orange is a flowering ornamental shrub that produces an abundance of white, fragrant blooms. The flowers have a sweet scent similar to orange blossoms, with a hint of pineapple. They bloom for several weeks from late spring to early summer, attracting pollinators and other beneficial insects.

Native to North America, Lewis Mock Orange is found from the southernmost portions of Alberta and British Columbia, and south into the northwestern United States. It makes an attractive shrub and can be used in hedgerows, pollinator gardens, and naturalization projects. Blooms occur on the previous year’s wood, so it is recommended to prune after it has finished flowering.

Purple Prairie Clover Quick Facts

Lewis Mock Orange Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 4a
Height: 0.6 m (2.0 ft)
Height: 3 m (10 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: very fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: medium
Growth form: upright to arching, multi-stemmed
Spreading: suckering - medium, seeds - low
Suckering: none


Flowers: purple flowers in dense cone-like heads
Flowers: fragrant, white
Bloom time: mid summer
Bloom time: mid spring to early summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, SK, MB, ON
Native to: AB, BC
Other Names: violet prairie-clover
Other Names: california mock orange, lewis mockorange, western mock orange, western syringa, wild mock orange