Queen Anne’s Lace, or Daucus carota, is a biennial flowering plant known for its delicate, lacy white blossoms. It typically forms a leafy rosette in its first year and tall flowering stalks in the second. Its classic appearance features flat-topped clusters of tiny white flowers, called umbels, often with a single dark purplish flower in the center. This species is the wild ancestor of the cultivated carrot and is now naturalized across much of North America, often seen growing along roadsides and in open fields.
Understanding the Wild vs. Cultivated Varieties
The plant commonly referred to as Queen Anne’s Lace is the wild form, Daucus carota subsp. carota. This wild variety is characterized by its signature white flower umbels and its hairy, ribbed green stems. It is often considered a weed due to its aggressive growth and self-seeding habits, and can quickly take over garden spaces if not managed.
For ornamental gardening, specialized seed companies offer cultivated varieties derived from the species, such as the popular ‘Dara’ cultivar. These cultivated forms are often listed as ‘Ornamental Carrot’ or ‘Flowering Carrot’ and provide a wider range of desirable colors. The ‘Dara’ variety, for example, is specifically bred for its flowering umbels, which transition from white to shades of soft pink, deep wine red, and dark purple.
Choosing a cultivated variety offers color variation that the wild type lacks, and they are frequently grown as annuals for cut flowers, though they are technically biennials. Cultivated seeds are preferred by gardeners who want specific color palettes and a plant that may be less aggressive. The domesticated subspecies, Daucus carota subsp. sativus, is the one grown for its edible root, the common garden carrot.
Specific Retail and Online Purchasing Options
The most reliable source for high-quality, specific ornamental varieties like ‘Dara’ is specialized online seed retailers. These companies stock a variety of seeds chosen for their color, height, and suitability as cut flowers, and they can ship the seeds directly to your location. Purchasing from these sources ensures you receive seeds for the non-invasive, colored cultivars rather than the common roadside weed.
Local nurseries and garden centers may occasionally carry Queen Anne’s Lace, but it is less common to find the wild type as a potted plant due to its weed status. However, you might find young plants of the ornamental cultivars available as plugs or starter plants in the spring at specialized nurseries focused on native or heirloom varieties. These options are best for gardeners who prefer to skip the seeding process and plant established young plants.
Collecting seeds from the wild is another option, though it requires careful identification and comes with certain risks. Wild harvesting is free but provides no guarantee of flower quality or color, and you will be planting the aggressive, weedy form of the species. If you choose to harvest wild seeds, do so responsibly and avoid collecting near areas that may be contaminated by roadside pollutants.
Important Considerations Before Planting
Before introducing Queen Anne’s Lace to your garden, you must be aware of its potential to become an aggressive weed in your area. The plant is listed as a noxious weed in numerous states and can quickly outcompete native species due to its vigorous self-seeding. It is strongly recommended to check with your local agricultural extension or conservation department to determine if Daucus carota is regulated or prohibited in your region.
The most serious consideration involves the plant’s dangerous look-alikes, which are members of the same plant family, Apiaceae. Queen Anne’s Lace is often confused with the highly poisonous Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum) and Water Hemlock (Cicuta spp.), which can be fatal if ingested. Never consume any part of a wild-growing plant unless you are absolutely certain of its identification.
You can distinguish Queen Anne’s Lace from Poison Hemlock by examining the stem. Queen Anne’s Lace has a solid, green stem that is covered in fine hairs. In contrast, Poison Hemlock has a smooth, hairless stem with characteristic purple blotches. Additionally, Queen Anne’s Lace flowers often have a single dark purple floret in the center of the umbel and possess lacy bracts beneath the flower cluster, features Poison Hemlock lacks.