Flower profile

Feather dalea

Dalea formosa

Feather dalea (Dalea formosa) is a shrub in the Fabaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.

Native to New Mexico

Feather dalea is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In New Mexico it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.

5states where USDA records it

994NM sightings*

3,241U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: New Mexico

Quick look

Dalea formosa is a semi-evergreen species of flowering plant in the genus Dalea, known by the common names feather dalea and featherplume; it is named for the physician Samuel Dale. The plant is native to the southern United States. It is highly tolerant of heat, cold, and drought. It is favored by honeybees; but of much less use to most wildlife, with the exception of rabbits and deer.
From Wikipedia's article Dalea formosa, CC BY-SA 4.0.

It belongs to the Fabaceae family. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 5 states. ^{USDA PLANTS}
NatureServe lists it as native to New Mexico. ^NatureServe
In New Mexico, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. ^iNaturalist
USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as purple. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as indeterminate. ^{USDA PLANTS}
USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 3 ft. ^{USDA PLANTS}
iNaturalist has 994 research-grade sightings of it in New Mexico, ranking #50 among the 152 flowers on our New Mexico list. ^iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

In New Mexico, most flowering sightings come in March–May.

Flowering records by month in New Mexico (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (92 records)

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA): Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. ^{USFWS ECOS}
NatureServe global: G5 Secure worldwide. ^NatureServe
New Mexico: Not listed Not on New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in New Mexico. ^{19.21.2.9 NMAC}
Rare elsewhere: Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: CO (S2), OK (S2). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records feather dalea in 5 states.

AKMEVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILWIMINYRIMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTCAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas.

New Mexico counties with USDA records: Bernalillo, Catron, Chaves, Cibola, Colfax, Curry, De Baca, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant, Guadalupe, Harding, Hidalgo, Lea, Lincoln, Los Alamos, Luna, Otero, Quay, Rio Arriba, Roosevelt, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Sierra, Socorro, Torrance, Union.

Growing conditions

USDA PLANTS gives Feather dalea a high shade tolerance, high drought tolerance and low moisture use. It is rated for soil pH 5.5 to 7.5 and winter lows down to -13 °F.

Shade tolerance: High
Drought tolerance: High
Moisture use: Low
Soil textures it is adapted to: coarse, medium
Soil pH range: 5.5 to 7.5
Minimum temperature tolerated: -13 °F
Frost-free days needed (minimum): 160
Annual precipitation range: 12 to 20 inches
Minimum root depth: 16 inches
Salinity tolerance: Medium
Fertility requirement: Low
Growth rate: Slow
Lifespan: Long
Active growth period: Spring, Summer, Fall
Fruit or seed: Brown · Spring to Fall
Can be propagated by: bare root, container, seed
Commercial availability: Contracting Only

From the USDA PLANTS characteristics data for DAFO. USDA ratings are general guidance for the species, not a guarantee for your garden.

Names, range and relatives

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Parosela formosa.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 114 counties across 5 states; the most are in Texas (70), New Mexico (28), Arizona (11).

Other Dalea on Bloomipedia (2): Purple prairie clover, White prairie clover.

More from the Fabaceae family (114 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Lupines, White clover, Red clover, Eastern redbud, Purple crownvetch, Bird's-foot trefoil, Partridge pea, White sweetclover.

More New Mexico flowers

Honey mesquite

Neltuma glandulosa

Native

🌼 Few flowering records in NM

New Mexico locust

Robinia neomexicana

Native

🌼 Blooms in NM: May–July

Yellow sweetclover

Melilotus officinalis

Introduced

🌼 Few flowering records in NM

Sources

USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile DAFO.
iNaturalist, Dalea formosa: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
Wikipedia, Dalea formosa (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
New Mexico: New Mexico state endangered plant species (19.21.2.9 NMAC).
New Mexico: New Mexico Noxious Weed List (NM Department of Agriculture, updated June 2020).
USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
NatureServe Explorer, Dalea formosa (global and state ranks).
Edibility and toxicity: no source found (marked "not well documented").
Photo: Wendy McCrady via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.