Summer - Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days

White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida) - photograph - ©Bruce A. Morrison

Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea) - photograph - ©Bruce A. Morrison

Both the White Prairie Clover (Dalea candida) and the Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea), are displaying everywhere in the pastures here - a true summer regalia! 

 

White Prairie Clover is a taller, slightly larger version pf the Purple Prairie Clover. The leaves are similar to it's purple cousin but noticeably larger in size...as is the flowering column of flowers.

 

I have to confess that I love the presentation and vivid Purple Prairie Clover (Dalea purpurea) the most - visually! Our gravel slopes here in SE O'Brien County, IA are an easy location for this plant to be found. The flush of the quite pleasing color tints the tops and edges of our pastures. The blooming occurs at the top of the plant as a dense cylindrical spike of flowers about 1-2" long and maybe a half inch or more across. Each purple flower is about ¼" across, with 5 small petals and 5 golden anthers that protrude outward. These flowers bloom together at the bottom of the spike, and gradually move up the spike at the season progresses. 

 

Both the White and the Purple begin blooming around July 1st and continue into early August here.

 

Some older books on livestock forage from the early part of the 20th century, hint that both of these Daleas were eagerly used by livestock in pasture settings, but they do not hold up well under heavy grazing. That could suggest why it is mostly absent in pastures today. Perhaps steeper gravel or loess soil slopes are well suited to this plant remaining as a common remnant in some parts of the state?

 

If Bumble Bees and Butterflies are your thing - these are beautiful flowers to behold!

 

You can spend a quick minute watching videos of both the White Prairie Clovers and the Purple Prairie Clovers at the following links on my channel - 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U2cHm-rqUI

 

and

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G4WlH0YTZo

 

Prairie Coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) - photograph - ©Bruce A. Morrison 

Prairie Coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) is a great early summer forb on the pastures here in SE O'Brien County, in NW Iowa. It forms fairly nice isolated groups where the surrounding plants may not be as thick or as tall, as to compete too heavily. It is also referred to as Stiff Coreopsis, and it does present stiff/straight stalks with nice fine palm shaped leaves. 

Our's seem to do best on the gravels slopes where it can find plenty of sun and shorter neighbors...and those here seem to be having a better year than usual - loads of them in bloom!

 

You can view a short video on my channel, which has a series of "A Prairie Moment" videos at the following link - 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khjkDjLFpjI

 

Thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog!  Be sure and stay cool out there and remember to be good to one another - we're all in this together!

Hope to see you on the Tallgrass.