Santa Catalina Prairie Clover (Dalea pulchra) usually begins blooming here in Tucson in February. The purple and white, pea-like flowers are in round, fuzzy, white heads.

These woody shrubs grow on rocky hillsides here in Tucson and are most commonly found in the lower foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Santa Catalina Prairie Clovers can grow up to 4 feet (1.2 m) tall, but because of their small leaves and open form, they are not very noticeable unless they are blooming.

Santa Catalina Prairie Clover and other Dalea species are favored larval food plants for Reakirt's Blue (Hemiargus isola) and Southern Dogface (Zerene cesonia) butterflies, and thus they make nice additions to butterfly gardens.