The botanical name for Queen Anne’s Lace is Daucus carota, and it is the ancestor of the cultivated carrot. It is sometimes called “wild carrot,” although it is no longer the same plant as cultivated carrots and is not generally considered edible.
The plant is native to Europe and Asia, but has become well established in grassy and rocky fields, roadsides, clearings and waste areas throughout much of North America.
Each flower is actually a cluster of tiny flowers that together resemble a circle of white lace. Often a single deep purple flower grows like a dot in the center. Flower clusters are about three inches across. The leaves are fern-like and lacy, as well. Older flowers curl up to resemble birds’ nests surrounded by three-pronged bracts. Stems grow to about three feet high.
The plant resembles the deadly poison hemlock, so care should be taken to positively identify Queen Anne’s Lace before handling it.
Beautiful in the Wild, but Weedy in Gardens and Cultivated Fields
Queen Anne’s Lace has spread across the United States since its introduction in colonial times. In the wild it can be seen as a beautiful wildflower, but it is invasive. It can become a troublesome weed in cultivated fields and gardens.
It is particularly common in Oregon and Washington, where it causes problems to farmers. In some states and counties it has been listed as a “noxious weed.”
Folklore Surrounds Naming Queen Anne’s Lace
Lore surrounds the naming of the flower. One story holds that Queen Anne of England pricked her finger while making lace, leaving a spot of blood that became the dark center in the Queen Anne’s Lace flower cluster.
Another legend holds that Queen Anne was an avid lace maker and held a contest to reproduce the pattern of the flower in lace. In the end, the queen herself won.
Still another fable says that it was Saint Anne, patron of lace makers, who lent her name to the flower.
Pressed Flowers Make Lacy Nature Art
Queen Anne’s Lace is easy to make into pressed flowers because of the flat heads. Flowers picked at the height of bloom can be placed between two pieces of tissue and tucked into a book. Laying the book flat and stacking a couple of more heavy books on top will result in well pressed blossoms. The resulting flowers can be used to decorate greeting cards, bookmarks or other nature art creations.
Queen Anne’s Lace can be enjoyed in the wild for its showy flowers. Brought home, the blooms add a lacy touch to flower arrangements and can be preserved for future enjoyment by pressing.
Related Articles:
Summer-blooming Native Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest
Fireweed: Summer’s Pink Wildflower of Open Woods and Fields
Columbia Gorge Field Wildflowers
Resources:
Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast, by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon, Lone Pine Publishing, Vancouver, B.C., 1994.
Peterson Field Guides-- Edible Wild Plants, by Lee Allen Peterson, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1977.
National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Pacific Northwest, by Peter Alden, Alfred A. Knopf, N.Y., 1998.
Weed or Wonder? Queen Anne’s Lace by Mary Spalding, Appalachian Independent, august 5, 2009
Linda McDonnell - I have been a journalist for 20 years, currently freelancing. As an outdoor and nature lover, I particularly enjoy writing about outdoor ...
