Queen Anne's Lace
Daucus carota
by Nicole S. Davis
 |
Daucus carota has many unusual common names for very interesting reasons. It is
best known as Queen Anne's Lace. People still are unsure whether it got the name from
Saint Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary and the patron saint of lacemakers or from the
Queen Anne of England. However, it probably got this name from the "lace-like"
appearance of its flowers. It is also often called wild carrot because a subspecies of
this flower gave birth to the garden carrot. The last common name it has is the bird's
nest because it's flower head has a tendency to bend inward in the shape of a bird's nest.
This wild flower belongs to the Family Apiaceae, the carrot family. The flower clusters
of this immigrant weed are generally white, although they are sometimes lavender or light
pink. They are flat, broad, and circular . They resemble a lace pattern and generally
range in size from three to six inches. The clusters often show a tiny, deep purple floret
at the center. After flowering, clusters curl up into "nest-like" shapes and are
often added to dried flower arrangements. The plant itself is generally two to three feet
tall with a thin hollow stem. It has small, flat compound leaves with
"sheath-like" petioles. The leaves alternate and are finely divided and
subdivided. |
This wildflower originated in Europe and is very common and can be found
all over North America except for the extreme north. They are often found on roadsides,
meadows, dry waste areas, and fields, and they grow profusely in abandoned fields. The
flowers are typically found in early summer from May to around August.
Queen Anne's Lace disperses its seeds through animals. The tiny fruits are hooked to
ensure their dispersal in the fur of any passing animals.
Cow Parsnip, Hairy Angelica, Water Hemlock, and the Poison Hemlock are all very closely
related and similar to the Wild Carrot. Oddly enough, a few of these plantss are also very
poisonous and deadly.
This plant has many interesting uses. Its first year roots can be boiled and eaten and
the root possesses more aroma than any of our indigenous plants. The flower can be boiled
into a drink. It is often used to induce vomiting, and in treating nervous headaches.
Written fall 2000, as a service learning
project for Dr. Gary Coté's Biology 102 class at Radford University. Copyright Pathways
for Radford. |
