Dalea candida or Petalostemum candidum (White Prairie Clover)
Dalea candida or Petalostemum candidum (White Prairie Clover)
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$30 minimum per species for seed.
$30 minimum per species for seed.
Each species requires a minimum of $30 of seed to proceed with checkout.
Pure Live Seed
Pure Live Seed
Seed is provided in Pure Live Seed (PLS) unless otherwise stated.
Pure Live Seed (PLS) refers to the percentage of a seed lot that consists of the desired species and is viable (capable of germination).
Here's why PLS is crucial for native seeds:
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Accurate Planting:
- PLS helps determine the actual number of viable seeds in a given weight or volume of seed.
- This ensures you plant the correct amount of seed to achieve the desired density and success rate.
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Cost-Effectiveness:
- By knowing the PLS, you can avoid overspending on seed that may not germinate.
- This is especially important for native seeds, which can be more expensive than some cultivated varieties.
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Weed Control:
- PLS helps minimize the presence of weed seeds within the seed lot.
- This reduces competition for resources and ensures the successful establishment of the desired native plants.
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Ecological Restoration:
- Using high-quality native seeds with a high PLS is essential for successful ecological restoration projects.
- It helps to re-establish diverse and resilient plant communities that support local wildlife.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
Weight Conversions lbs. to oz.
0.01 pounds = 0.16 ounces
- 0.1 pounds = 1.6 ounces
- 0.25 pounds = 4 ounces
- 0.5 pounds = 8 ounces
- 0.75 pounds = 12 ounces
- 1.00 pounds = 16 ounces
White prairie clover carries narrow heads of white flowers above finely divided leaves. The flowers open progressively upward during summer. Give this perennial a sunny, well-drained place where its taproot can develop; established plants tolerate dry soil, and seedlings may gradually form a patch.
Choose the available format and quantity from the product options.
Plant specifications
Key growing facts
| Sunlight | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Soil moisture | Mesic to dry |
| Height | About 1–2 ft in the NC State account; size varies with conditions. |
| Bloom season | Early to mid-summer |
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
| Root form | Deep, thick taproot; depth depends on site conditions |
|---|
Plant identification & seed reference
| Botanical name | Dalea candida |
|---|---|
| Other common names | white prairie clover; White Prairie Clover |
| Plant family | Fabaceae |
Plant characteristics
Dalea candida or Petalostemum candidum (White Prairie Clover) is a short in height native plant. Its compact growth habit and beautiful white colored flower lend itself well to landscaped groupings.
- Flower Color White
- Flower Time May-June
Planning your planting
Match drainage, light and available space to this plant. The records below describe regional flower visits; they do not predict the insects at an individual garden.
Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value
| C-value — Chicago region, Flora 2017 | 10 |
|---|---|
| Chicago-region native — Flora 2017 | Yes |
| Native range — U.S. states | Alabama; Arizona; Arkansas; Colorado; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; New Mexico; North Dakota; Oklahoma; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Wisconsin; Wyoming |
| County nativity | Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity. |
Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associatesNo verified list yet
A species-level list has not yet been verified for this listing.
Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlife
Bees & other flower visitors
USGS observations recorded the following insects visiting flowers of this plant in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota. The records describe visits, without distinguishing pollen collection from nectar feeding or measuring successful pollination. They do not establish local occurrence, exclusive dependence, or a larval-host relationship.
Bees
- Andrena lupinorum — North Dakota; 2013.
- Apis mellifera (honey bee) — Minnesota, South Dakota; 2015, 2016.
- Lasioglossum sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2013.
Other flower visitors
- Toxomerus sp. (genus only) — North Dakota; 2015.
Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions
What are the ideal growing conditions for White Prairie Clover?
Dalea candida or Petalostemum candidum performs best in full sun with dry to dry-mesic (sand & gravel hill prairies) conditions. It thrives in authentic regional soil types ranging from sandy loam to well-drained clay loams.
How do I germinate and establish White Prairie Clover from seed?
Seed of Dalea candida or Petalostemum candidum has a germination code of C(30). For best results, sow seed in late fall/winter for natural outdoor freeze-thaw stratification, or cold-moist stratify in refrigeration for 30 to 60 days before spring indoor propagation.
Is White Prairie Clover deer and herbivore resistant?
Yes. Native plants adapted to Midwestern habitats naturally produce protective secondary compounds and fibrous textures that make them highly resistant to deer, rabbits, and other grazing herbivores.
When should I expect White Prairie Clover to emerge and bloom?
Established plants break dormancy in spring as soil temperatures warm, developing vigorous foliage before blooming in their seasonal window to provide vital nectar when native pollinators need it most.
Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes
Appearance and growing guidance: NC State Extension Plant Toolbox. Selected botanical facts checked 7 September 2026 and described in original wording by Natural Communities. Earlier nursery observations are retained; size and flowering time can vary by site.
Chicago assessment: Wilhelm & Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region, via Universal FQA database 80 (Kenneth Johnson, 2018), under Dalea candida.
State nativity: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 4 June 2026 release, under Dalea candida. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; CC BY 3.0. Native records selected, excluding introduced, doubtful and extinct records. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data; no endorsement is implied. State nativity is separate from Chicago-region nativity, county occurrence and the origin of the stock offered for sale.
Source: Otto, C., Bryant, R. & Euliss, N.H. Jr. (2020), The U.S. Geological Survey Pollinator Library Dataset, observations from 2012–2017. USGS public-domain federal data; selected and grouped by Natural Communities. This page uses 6 source records. Names retain the source identification level; “sp.” does not name a particular species. Some visits were observed without retaining specimens.
C-value source: Flora of the Chicago Region (2017), Universal FQA database 80. Matched source taxon: Dalea candida. Exact.
Sources checked September 5, 2026. Regional assessments and growing observations apply to their stated settings. Unverified fields are omitted; missing information does not mean an ecological relationship is absent.
- Illinois Wildflowers — John Hilty. Limited botanical facts presented in Natural Communities’ own wording. Source-specific observations retain their stated scope; photographs, original descriptive prose and compiled relationship tables are excluded. Supports: Bloom Season; Deer Resistance; Drought Tolerance; Height; Opening botanical description; Primary Native Habitats; Root Architecture & Depth; Soil Moisture Range; Spread Habit; Sun Exposure; Sunlight Exposure.
- Universal FQA — Flora-linked Chicago database 80. Taxonomic names, family and regional nativity originally checked against Kenneth Johnson’s Flora-linked database 80 (2018), citing Wilhelm & Rericha (2017). Limited factual identification only; the C-value follows this Flora-linked database wherever an exact or documented synonym match is available. Supports: Alternate Common Names; Botanical Name; Chicago-region native status; Plant Family.
- USACE/ERDC fqadata — Chicago Region FQA 2017. Herman, B., Sliwinski, R. & Whitaker, S. (2017), Chicago Region FQA Calculator; distributed by USACE/ERDC in fqadata under CC0. Values may differ from Flora of the Chicago Region (2017). CC0 dedication. Supports: Wetland Indicator Status.
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Limited botanical facts presented in Natural Communities’ own wording. Source-specific observations retain their stated scope; photographs, original descriptive prose and compiled relationship tables are excluded. Supports: Alternate Common Names; Soil pH Range; USDA Hardiness Zones.
- Smith et al. (2025) — pollen-host literature dataset. Smith, C., Bachelder, N., Russell, A.L., Morales, V., Mosher, A.R. & Seltmann, K.C. (2025), Oecologia 207:13, DOI 10.1007/s00442-024-05653-5. Data release 14757220, CC BY 4.0; selected genus-level pollen-host records from russell_formatted-15Aug2024.csv summarized. Family records and model predictions excluded; no endorsement implied. CC BY 4.0. Supports: Genus-level pollen-host records: Andrena wilmattae.
Flora rating attribution: Kenneth Johnson (2018), Flora of the Chicago Region UFQA Database, following Gerould Wilhelm and Laura Rericha (2017), Flora of the Chicago Region: A Floristic and Ecological Synthesis. Individual rating facts are presented with original commentary; the calculator’s software license is not treated as a license for the underlying Flora publication.
The linked Illinois plant relationships were reconciled with INHS-hosted source inventories on September 6, 2026. Same-remnant pairs were calculated from shared named-site occurrences and organized for this catalog; they are not copied narrative descriptions or proof of microsite compatibility.
Plant Shipping & Care
Plant Shipping & Care
We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.
As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.
Choices to Receive Your Plants & Accessories
- Retail - We only offer shipping & shipping is calculated at check out*
- We do not offer retail pick up
- Wholesale - Delivery is customized based on order size and location
- Wholesale - Pickup is free
Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready
We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.
Wholesale Orders
- Shipped or are Ready For Pick Up As Requested.
Retail & Website Orders
- Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
- Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
- Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
- If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months.
- Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
- Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
- If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready. In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments
- Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability. We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish. If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date. If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
- Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
- Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.
Where We Ship
What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery
- Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
- We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.
Shipments
- Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.
What to Do With Your Plants After Receiving Your Delivery
- Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
- Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
- Water your plants
- Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
- If you cannot install your plants immediately
- Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
- Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
- Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
- No additional fertilizer is needed
Seed Shipping & Care
Seed Shipping & Care
There is a minimum order requirement of $30 for each seed species. Seed ships all year and typically ships within a week of an order being placed.
We have attempted to put together some basic information regarding native seed installation, establishment, and maintenance. We hope you find it helpful. If you need further assistance on native seed establishment, please schedule a free consolation call here.
Consultation Services
Ecosystem Restoration Considerations
Native Seed Establishment Best Management Practices
Native Seed Stratification Best Management Practices
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Whether you're fighting severe erosion, replacing invasive species, designing a pollinator haven, or seeding large acreage, choosing the wrong species wastes time and money. Talk 1-on-1 with a restoration ecologist to map out the exact species, plug counts, or seed mixes for your soil and goals. Book a consultation and get all or a portion credited directly back to your order.