Other Scientific Name: Dalea purpurea
Other Common Names: Thimbleweed, Red Tassel Flower
Family: Pea (Fabaceae)
Height: 1 -3′ (30 – 90 cm)
Flower Size: 1/6″ (4 mm) in cylindrical spikes up to 2″ (5 cm) long
Flowering Season: June – September
Ecological Preferences: Dry, rocky hills
Select Characteristics: The flower color is often closer to pink or red than purple. The flowering sequence is from the base to the top of the spike.
Historical Significance: A tea made by some Native American tribes was used to treat open wounds. The tough, elastic stems were used by other tribes to make brooms. As with other clovers, symbiotic bacteria living in the root system increase the nitrogen content of the adjacent soil.
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Melanie Waite-Altringer 2023-2024 