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| ## WhitE Prairie Clover {#white-prairie-clover .Title-Header}         |
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| *Dalea candida* Michx. ex Willd.                                      |
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| Plant Symbol = DACA7                                                  |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS Plant Materials Center, Manhattan, Kansas

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="3.0in" height="3.998611111111111in"}

Mike Haddock, Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses, KSU Library Website

##### Alternate Names {#alternate-names .Header-3}

Slender white prairie clover and prairie clover

##### Uses {#uses .Header-3}

This leguminous forb produces palatable and nutritious forage for all
classes of livestock and is an important browse species for antelope,
deer and upland game birds, particularly sharp-tail grouse. This species
will decrease and disappear under persistent overgrazing. It is an
important legume in native grasslands because of its nitrogen fixing
characteristic. This native legume can be used as the forb component in
reclamation of drastically disturbed lands, range renovation and prairie
restoration projects. It is also a potentially useful plant for roadside
and rest area beautification, park plantings and recreational garden
natural area plantings. Native Americans used the plant for both
medicinal purposes and as a food source. Their roots were chewed for
their pleasant, sweet taste by many Indian tribes that lived on the
prairie (Kindscher 1987). Kindscher (1987) also stated that the leaves
were dried and used for making a hot beverage. The pulverized root was
boiled, and after the sediment settled, the liquid was consumed to
prevent disease (Kindscher 1992).

##### Status {#status .Header-3}

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status (e.g. threatened or endangered
species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

#####  {#section .Header-3}

##### Description {#description .Header-3}

*General*: The Legume family (Fabaceae). *Dalea* is named in honor of
Samuel Dale, an English botanist (1659-1739), and *candida* refers to
the flower color meaning "of dazzling white" (Kindscher 1992). White
prairie clover is a perennial, warm season, herbaceous, native legume
common in the Great Plains (Stubbendieck and Conard 1989). Stems, one to
several, arise from a thick taproot or superficial or subterranean
caudex. Stems are herbaceous and are simple with a few upright branches
near the top and are ribbed or ridged longitudinally and glabrous (60 to
90 cm). Leaves have an alternate arrangement on the stem and are
odd-pinnately compound and 2 to 6 cm long. Each compound leaf has 5 to 9
leaflets (commonly 7) which are 1 to 3 cm long and 2 to 6 mm wide.
Leaflet shape is narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly elliptic with a sharp
tip. Leaflets are glandular dotted on their lower surface and folded
along the midrib. The inflorescence is a terminal spike that is
cylindrical in shape (1 to 5 cm) and lax to densely flowered. The white
flower petals are atypical of legume family, having one standard and
four narrow petal-like bodies joined with the five stamen bases to form
the calyx tube. Flowering occurs from early to mid June and into August.
The first flowers to open are at the bottom of the spike and proceed
upward as the season progresses. The fruit is a legume 2.5 to 4.5 mm
long, glandular and contains one brown, smooth seed that is 1.5 to 2 mm
long and kidney shaped. Chromosome number is 2n=14.

*Distribution*: For current distribution, please consult the Plant
Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site. According to the
Flora of the Great Plains (GP) white prairie clover has two varieties in
the GP (Barkley 1986). The var. *candida*

occurs in the eastern half of the GP, infrequent in the west. It is
located in southeast Saskatchewan, southern Manitoba, southern Ontario,
south to Wisconsin, Illinois, Tennessee, eastern half of Kansas and
Texas. The var. *oligophylla* occurs in the western half of the Great
Plains infrequent in the southeast and extends from west Texas to Utah
and Arizona in the southwest.

*Habitat:* White prairie clover is common in dry prairies and rocky
upland woods. Where the two varieties grow in the same area var.
*oligophylla* will be located in the drier site positions. Weaver and
Fitzpatrick (1934) indicated that white prairie clover was the third
most important legume and the eighth most important forb in upland
prairies.

##### Adaptation {#adaptation .Header-3}

This species is found growing primarily on well drained sandy, gravelly,
and silt soils, rarely on clay or lowland sites. It occurs on sites that
receive 25 to 45 cm of annual precipitation. Thus it would be found
growing most commonly in mid to short grass prairie plant communities.
It is found as a minor species in late seral grasslands. However, it has
been observed as a pioneering species on disturbed shallow soils or
gravels.

##### Establishment {#establishment .Header-3}

Stubbendieck and Conard (1989) stated that germination can be improved
by scarification. Germination can extend from 3 to 30 days, but most
seed will germinate within 6 to 9 days ( Platt and Harder 1991).
Mechanical scarification using sandpaper or a laboratory scarifier is
acceptable. White prairie clover should be planted on a prepared, weed
free, firm seedbed. The seedbed should be firm enough to allow planting
at a 6 to 12 mm depth. McGraw et al. (2003) found that white prairie
clover germinated well in a range of temperatures between 15 and 30
degrees Centigrade. Being able to germinate across a wide range of
temperatures may be an advantage in temperate climates where a wide
range of soil temperatures may be encountered. Planting using a drill
equipped with depth bands and a legume box should provide good seed
depth placement and good seed to soil contact. The use of a broadcast
seeding method would require a higher overall seeding rate to compensate
for a less accurate delivery system. The normal seeding rate of 323 to
388 PLS seeds per meter square would have to be increased to accommodate
a broadcast seeding method. Seed should be inoculated with the proper
*Rhizobium* strain prior to planting.

##### Management {#management .Header-3}

Weed control during first year establishment of native forbs is
essential to produce healthy plant stands. Mowing at a height that will
not affect white prairie clover seedlings is one method of reducing weed
competition. McGraw et al. (2004) found that while white prairie clover
had good relative forage quality it also suffered from having relatively
low forage yields when compared to other native legume species. White
prairie clover should improve forage digestibility when planted in
pasture situations with native warm season grasses. Native legumes such
as white prairie clover fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and make it
available to grass species planted in association with the legume.

##### Pests and Potential Problems {#pests-and-potential-problems .Header-3}

White prairie clover was discovered to be a host for *Megacyllene
angulifera* in Carbon County, Montana (Blodgett et al. 2005). A white
clover plant was observed to have an unknown die off in the seed
production field at the Bridger PMC. Subsequent investigation of the
damage revealed that 10 per cent of the root had extensive injury from
the feeding of cerambycid larvae. The damaged area had 12 pupae present.
The pupae were placed in a Petri dish with moisture and in 1 to 5 days
the pupae evolved into adult *M. angulifera.* Plant Pathologists at
Kansas State University found that the rust species *Uropyxis
petalostemonis* had an increased incidence of disease on white prairie
clover under irrigated situations (Ahmed 2002). They also indicated that
the rust disease had a profound effect on the relative fitness and
fecundity of the *D. candida* population on the Konza Prairie Biological
Station.

##### Environmental Concerns {#environmental-concerns .Header-3}

White prairie clover does not spread aggressively by seed or vegetative
means.

##### Seeds and Plant Production {#seeds-and-plant-production .Header-3}

##### Seed production of white prairie clover should be accomplished by establishment of the plants in rows with spacing of 45 to 75 cm between rows. This arrangement will allow for cultivation between rows and irrigation. Seed production should not be attempted without supplemental irrigation in areas with less than 380 mm of precipitation. White prairie clover is insect pollinated and up to 18 different wasps and bees and other insect pollinators have been identified in the foundation production field at the Bridger, Montana PMC. Annual warm-season grasses and broadleaf weeds are the biggest problem to establishment and production of this legume. Seed production can be expected the second year. Legume pods can be run through a hammer mill to knock the kidney shaped seed out of its pod. A fanning mill can be used to complete the cleaning process. Seed yields of up to 225 to 450 kg/ha can be expected with irrigation. Rock (1981) reported that division and vegetative propagation of this species was difficult. Stubbendieck and Conard (1989) indicated that branch tip cuttings of this species readily root in a mist bench  {#seed-production-of-white-prairie-clover-should-be-accomplished-by-establishment-of-the-plants-in-rows-with-spacing-of-45-to-75-cm-between-rows.-this-arrangement-will-allow-for-cultivation-between-rows-and-irrigation.-seed-production-should-not-be-attempted-without-supplemental-irrigation-in-areas-with-less-than-380-mm-of-precipitation.-white-prairie-clover-is-insect-pollinated-and-up-to-18-different-wasps-and-bees-and-other-insect-pollinators-have-been-identified-in-the-foundation-production-field-at-the-bridger-montana-pmc.-annual-warm-season-grasses-and-broadleaf-weeds-are-the-biggest-problem-to-establishment-and-production-of-this-legume.-seed-production-can-be-expected-the-second-year.-legume-pods-can-be-run-through-a-hammer-mill-to-knock-the-kidney-shaped-seed-out-of-its-pod.-a-fanning-mill-can-be-used-to-complete-the-cleaning-process.-seed-yields-of-up-to-225-to-450-kgha-can-be-expected-with-irrigation.-rock-1981-reported-that-division-and-vegetative-propagation-of-this-species-was-difficult.-stubbendieck-and-conard-1989-indicated-that-branch-tip-cuttings-of-this-species-readily-root-in-a-mist-bench .Header-3}

#####  {#section-1 .Header-3}

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials-and-area-of-origin .Header-3}

Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil
Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone
book under "United States Government." The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

Antelope Germplasm is a tested class release of slender white prairie
clover from the North Dakota and Montana PMC's. It was originally
collected in 1947 in Stark County, North Dakota southwest of Dickinson.
This collection was first evaluated as NDL-56 at the Mandan, North
Dakota Soil Conservation Service Nursery. The germplasm was sent to the
Bridger PMC in 1960 and compared to other white prairie clover
accessions. It was released cooperatively in 2000 by the two centers
(Majerus and Holzworth 2000). G1 seed (equivalent to foundation seed) is
produced by the Bridger PMC and made available to commercial growers
through the Foundation Seed Stock programs at Montana State
University-Bozeman and University of Wyoming --Powell. Only a single

generation (G2) beyond foundation seed is recognized.

##### References {#references .Header-3}

##### Ahmed, H.U., K.A. Garrett, H.M. Alexander, S.P. Dendy and A.K. Knapp. 2002. Reduced fitness of *Dalea candida* due to *Uropyxis petalostemonis* rust at different precipitation levels in the Kansas tallgrass prairie. Plant Pathology Poster. Kansas State University Department of Pant Pathology. {#ahmed-h.u.-k.a.-garrett-h.m.-alexander-s.p.-dendy-and-a.k.-knapp.-2002.-reduced-fitness-of-dalea-candida-due-to-uropyxis-petalostemonis-rust-at-different-precipitation-levels-in-the-kansas-tallgrass-prairie.-plant-pathology-poster.-kansas-state-university-department-of-pant-pathology. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-2 .Header-3}

##### Barkley, T.M., R.L. McGregor, R.E. Brooks, and E.K. Schofield. 1986. Flora of the Great Plains. Lawerence,KS: University Press of Kansas. {#barkley-t.m.-r.l.-mcgregor-r.e.-brooks-and-e.k.-schofield.-1986.-flora-of-the-great-plains.-lawerenceks-university-press-of-kansas. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-3 .Header-3}

##### Blodgett, S., M.A. Ivie, and M. Majerus. 2005. First larval host record for *Megacyllene angulifera* (Casey) (Cerambycidea). The Coleopterists Bulletin. 59(2): 258-259. {#blodgett-s.-m.a.-ivie-and-m.-majerus.-2005.-first-larval-host-record-for-megacyllene-angulifera-casey-cerambycidea.-the-coleopterists-bulletin.-592-258-259. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-4 .Header-3}

##### Kindscher, K. 1987. Edible wild plants of the prairie. Lawrence: University of Kansas Press. {#kindscher-k.-1987.-edible-wild-plants-of-the-prairie.-lawrence-university-of-kansas-press. .Header-3}

#####   {#section-5 .Header-3}

##### Kindscher, K. 1992. Medicinal wild plants of the prairie. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas. {#kindscher-k.-1992.-medicinal-wild-plants-of-the-prairie.-lawrence-university-press-of-kansas. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-6 .Header-3}

##### Majerus, M. and L.K. Holzworth. 2000. Release notice of antelope tested class germplasm slender white prairieclover *Dalea candida*. USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Center, Bridger, MT. {#majerus-m.-and-l.k.-holzworth.-2000.-release-notice-of-antelope-tested-class-germplasm-slender-white-prairieclover-dalea-candida.-usda-nrcs-plant-materials-center-bridger-mt. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-7 .Header-3}

##### McGraw, R.L., F.W. Shockley, and T.K. Elam. 2003. Effects of temperature on germination of 10 native legume species. Native Plants. Spring 2003. {#mcgraw-r.l.-f.w.-shockley-and-t.k.-elam.-2003.-effects-of-temperature-on-germination-of-10-native-legume-species.-native-plants.-spring-2003. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-8 .Header-3}

##### McGraw, R.L., F.W. Shockley, J.F. Thompson, and C.A. Roberts. 2004. Native legume species for forage yield, quality, and seed production. Native Plants. Fall 2004. {#mcgraw-r.l.-f.w.-shockley-j.f.-thompson-and-c.a.-roberts.-2004.-native-legume-species-for-forage-yield-quality-and-seed-production.-native-plants.-fall-2004. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-9 .Header-3}

##### Platt, D.R. and L.H. Harder. 1991. Growing Native Wildflowers: The Kansas Wildflower Society Handbook. Kauffman Museum, Bethel College, Newton, KS.  {#platt-d.r.-and-l.h.-harder.-1991.-growing-native-wildflowers-the-kansas-wildflower-society-handbook.-kauffman-museum-bethel-college-newton-ks. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-10 .Header-3}

##### Rock, H.W. 1981. Prairie Propagation Handbook. Sixth Edition. Boerner Botanical Garden. Milwaukee, WI.  {#rock-h.w.-1981.-prairie-propagation-handbook.-sixth-edition.-boerner-botanical-garden.-milwaukee-wi. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-11 .Header-3}

##### Stubbendieck, J. and E.C. Conard. 1989.Common legumes of the Great Plains. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.  {#stubbendieck-j.-and-e.c.-conard.-1989.common-legumes-of-the-great-plains.-lincoln-university-of-nebraska-press. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-12 .Header-3}

##### Weaver, J.E. and T.J. Fitzpatrick. 1934. The Prairie. Ecological Monographs 4(2):109-295. {#weaver-j.e.-and-t.j.-fitzpatrick.-1934.-the-prairie.-ecological-monographs-42109-295. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-13 .Header-3}

##### Prepared By and Species Coordinator  {#prepared-by-and-species-coordinator .Header-3}

Richard Wynia, USDA NRCS Manhattan Plant Materials Center, Manhattan,
Kansas

##### Edited: 080206 jsp {#edited-080206-jsp .Header-4}

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
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*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Conservation
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