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Summary
Dalea lasiathera is a low-growing, perennial plant with several to many decumbent stems radiating from a forking orange root with a woody caudex[1359 ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. ecos or purple prairie-clover (Dalea lasiathera) is a southwestern native legume with sweet, aromatic roots that were traditionally chewed by the Zuni people, though the woody, fibrous texture limits their food value. Leaves are aromatic but not a recognized food. USDA Zones 5–9; native, not invasive.
Physical Characteristics
Dalea lasiathera is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) by 0.2 m (0ft 8in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6 and is not frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Insects.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Parosela lasianthera Rydb. Parosela lasiathera A.Heller Parosela lasiathera (A.Gray) A.Heller
Plant Habitats
Edible Uses
Root - raw[257 ]. Chewed as a snack, especially by children, and greatly enjoyed[257 ]. Flowers - used as a flavouring[257 ]. Crushed by hand and sprinkled on a stew after cooking[257 ]. Pecos or purple prairie-clover (Dalea lasiathera) is a native leguminous plant of the Southwest. Like other prairie-clovers, its roots are edible and are generally described as sweet and pleasant, though the quality can vary between plants. Prairie-clover roots were sometimes considered flavorful enough to be compared to “natural candy,” with a fruity, food-like aroma. However, the roots are consistently woody and often splinter into fibers when chewed, making them less enjoyable as a direct food. Boiling helps release their sweetness into the water, producing a yellowish-brown broth that ranges in flavor from mild and slightly soapy to pleasantly syrup-like.The leaves of some prairie-clovers were sampled during field studies, though they are not traditionally recorded as edible. They are aromatic and resinous, with notes that can be fruity or evergreen-like. While not unpleasant in small amounts, they were rarely valued as food. Among prairie-clovers, D. lasiathera was notable to the Zuni Indians of New Mexico, who chewed its sweet-tasting roots for flavor. This cultural use highlights its role more as a chewing root than as a staple food [2-3].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
None known
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
A perennial and grows primarily in the desert or dry shrubland biome. In its native habitat it is found on stony plains and hillsides, mesquite savannah, commonly on limestone. Upper Elevation Limit 620 metres Lower Elevation Limit 400 metres. Pecos prairie-clover grows in dry habitats of the American Southwest and is best suited to USDA Hardiness Zones 5–9.
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
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Plant Propagation
Seed - sow in early spring in a greenhouse. The seed has a hard seed coat and benefits from scarification before sowing in order to speed up and improve germination. This can usually be done by pouring a small amount of nearly boiling water on the seeds (being careful not to cook them!) and then soaking them for 12 - 24 hours in warm water. By this time they should have imbibed moisture and swollen - if they have not, then carefully make a nick in the seedcoat (being careful not to damage the embryo) and soak for a further 12 hours before sowing. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them into their permanent positions in the summer[200 ].
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Purple Dalea, Pecos or purple prairie-clover (Dalea lasiathera)
Native Range
Native extant (resident) Mexico; United States (Wyoming, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Washington, Virginia, Utah, Texas, Tennessee, South Dakota, South Carolina, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Oklahoma, Ohio, North Dakota, North Carolina, New York, New Mexico, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Nevada, Indiana, Illinois, Idaho, Georgia, Florida, Connecticut, Colorado, California, Arkansas, Arizona, Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska)
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it's worth checking.
It is a native species and is not considered invasive, though it is not typically abundant enough to be a major food source.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Least Concern
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
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Expert comment
Author
A.Gray
Botanical References
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.
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Subject : Dalea lasiathera
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