Dalea candida

Dalea candida, called White prairie clover in its native lands, is a wild perennial plant that blooms in summer in the great plains of the United States. Little known in Europe, this relative of the alfalfa with remarkable adaptability forms a beautiful bushy clump topped with a charming summer flowering of white, very attractive to bees. Very hardy, it enriches the soil it grows in and adapts equally well to occasionally waterlogged or dry situations in summer thanks to its deep root system. Its main enemy is shade.

Dalea candida is a botanical species belonging to the Fabaceae family formerly known as Petalostemum candidum. In nature, it is found spontaneously in a large part of North America, growing in various sunny environments such as different types of prairies, foothills of mountain ranges, edges of woods and forests, and in areas disturbed by humans. It grows there without any care, perfectly tolerating frost and dry summers.

It is a deciduous perennial plant with semi-woody stems, whose foliage dries up in winter and reappears in spring. It forms a bushy clump of 8 to 10 branched stems, reaching about 50cm (20in) in height (no more than 1m (3ft)) and a minimum diameter of 50-60cm (20-24in). Flowering occurs from June to August in the form of numerous curious conical and cylindrical spikes covered with tiny nectar-rich flowers. The flowers generally open from the bottom to the top of the spike. The foliage consists of smooth and glossy leaves, divided into three to 7 very narrow leaflets, measuring 3-4cm (1-2in) in length. This plant develops from a particular root system, which goes very deep (up to 1.8m (6ft)) into the soil to draw water. It also transforms nutrients thanks to the presence of symbiotic bacteria housed in small nodules. Like all Fabaceae, this Dalea contributes to enriching the soil it grows in.

Daleas are close relatives of Baptisia, sainfoin, and lupins, plants considered as green manure and soil fixers, even in degraded conditions. They are not very demanding in terms of soil and moisture, but they are completely intolerant to shade. Dalea candida will find its place in a romantic garden, a dry garden, in natural and meadow-like beds. It is also useful for decorating a degraded plot, which often surrounds a recently built house. It looks stunning in the company of landscape roses, blue or white lavenders, Baptisias, or Allium bulgaricum. It also pairs perfectly with Amorpha canescens, Symphyotrichum sericeum (Silky Aster), or tall American grasses like Schizachyrium, Andropogon gerardii, and Panicum virgatum, all equally spectacular and easy to grow.