Queen Anne's Lace

Another summer favorite of mine, Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carrota), grows in fields, meadows, along roads and in other disturbed areas. We have hundreds blooming now (7/06/2013) on our road and fields. It's considered a weed here, but in its native Europe it is regarded beneficial because it attracts pollinators for nearby crops.

Why is it called Queen Anne's Lace? Turns out, there are many legends about the common name, several involving real queens who were adept at making lace (unlikely IMO). Here's a rundown of some of the folklore: http://lace.lacefairy.com/Lace/Fun/QueenAnnsLace.html

Queen Anne's Lace is also called Wild Carrot. There is also an American Wild Carrot (D. pulsillas), which is shorter and has umbels that are less than one inch across.

When the flower begins to unfold it is pink, as in first photo. It's white when fully opened and often has a central single purple or brown blossom. It is thought that this may help insects navigate around the umbel. These are growing in our yard.

Flower is pink upon initial formation.

The outer umbels open first.



Almost fully opened flowers.

Each plant can produce one large cluster and several smaller ones.