Common Name: Purple Tassels

General Information

Dalea gattingeri is a herbaceous perennial plant producing a cluster of decumbent stems from a thick, blackish root; it can grow 15 - 35cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Southeastern N. America - Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia

Habitat

Dry desert and alluvial soils to 2,000 metres[, ]. Locally abundant in thin stony soils of calcareous cedar-glades and barrens[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.35 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a well-drained soil in full sun[]. A deep-rooted plant, it prefers a sandy loam with added leaf mould[]. This species is well-suited to informal and naturalistic plantings, especially as part of a collection of native species[].
The stems, leaves and flowers are dotted with glands, making the plant look blistered[].
This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

Root - chewed [, , ].

A tea-like beverage is made from the dried leaves[, , ].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow in early spring in a greenhouse. The seed has a hard seedcoat 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 out into their permanent positions in the summer[].