Queen Anne’s Lace, Wild Carrot, Bishop’s Lace, ETC.

Daucus carota

(Daucus carota subsp. carota)

DO-kus  kar-OH-tuh

Synonyms of Daucus carota L. (2) (Updated on 11-12-23 from Plants of the World Online): Daucus communis subsp. carota (L.) Rouy & E.G.camus (nom. illeg.)(1901), Caucalis carota (L.) Crantz (1767).

Daucus carota L. is the accepted scientific name for this species of Daucus. The genus and species were named and described as such by Carl von Linnaeus in the first volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.

Plants of the World Online lists 25 infraspecific names (lower taxon) of Daucus carota pretty much worldwide. The only one in North America is the autonym Daucus carota subsp. carota. When an infraspecific taxon is named an autonym is created which is closest to the original species. The species and lower taxon have their own synonyms. In this case, Daucus carota has two synonyms, while Daucus carota subsp. carota has 80 (as of 11-12-23). I decided not to list 80 synonyms, but if you want to have a look, click HERE to go to the list on POWO.

As of 11-12-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online by Kew lists 44 species in the Daucus genus. It is a member of the plant family Apiaceae with 447 genera. All the numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

The above distribution map for Daucus carota is from Plants of the World Online. Areas in green are where the species is native and purple is where it has been introduced. The map on the USDA Plants Database for North America (above Mexico) is the same.

The map on iNaturalist shows where members have made observations. Anyone can join and it is a great website to confirm and share your observations. The maps on iNaturalist are updated continually as members post observations.

THERE ARE SEVERAL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING AND TO HELP WITH A BETTER POSITIVE ID.

Daucus carota is a European biennial wildflower that has naturalized throughout North America. Its flat-topped flower clusters resemble Achillea millefolium from a distance but there is more here than meets the eye.

I have been back on the family farm since 2013 and for some reason, I hadn’t noticed any Daucus carota here. They were growing in abundance at a friend’s farm where I was working in 2019 which is where these photos came from.

I am not going to write a lengthy botanical description of the flowers. Once you know what it looks like you will not forget it. You can see the links below for botanical

Their long flowering stems, 4-20″ long, terminate with solitary flat-topped compound umbels. Each umbel consists of 20-90 “umbellets” with 15-60 flowers.

Being a biennial, Daucus carota produces a rosette of leaves in the first season without flowering. The second season gives rise to the flowering stems. Stems are light green (sometimes with a reddish tint), are vertically veined and hollow, and grow 2-5 feet tall.

Leaves grow in an alternate form, normally hairless (glabrous), and are bipinnately divided. The leaves are attached to the stem by sheaths, about 2” long, that become partially detached. It is somewhat hard to explain. Think of the way celery is attached and breaks off the stalk.

Under the compound umbels are pinnately divided thread-like bracts…

Hmmm… This is the same photograph as at the top of the page. You can see how from a distance they resemble Achillea millefolium (Common Yarrow).

On July 25 I noticed this pink-flowered Daucus carota. This was quite a surprise when all the other plants had white flowers. I also found a single pink-flowered Achillea millefolium growing in another area. I debated digging it up and bringing it home but I waited too long and it disappeared. The cows must have eaten it so I was glad I took photos.

Typical flowers of Daucus carota only in a different color.

It’s kind of neat how the flowers are folded up in a wad at first. Completely different than Achillea millefolium buds.

I think I found Daucus carota growing on the farm in 2020 in the spring and I intended to continue watching the patch to make sure. I got fairly busy and forgot to recheck… The colony was growing in an area where hay used to be stored… I am sure it has been all along I just didn’t notice.

I have enjoyed photographing and learning about the many wildflowers growing on the farm and in other areas. The farm I live on is in Windsor, Missouri in Pettis County (Henry County is across the street and Benton and Johnson aren’t far away). I have grown over 500 different plants and identified over 250 species of wildflowers (most have pages listed on the right side of the blog). I am not an expert, botanist, or horticulturalist. I just like growing, photographing, and writing about my experience. I rely on several websites for ID and a horticulturalist I contact if I cannot figure them out. Wildflowers can vary from location to location, so sometimes it gets a bit confusing. If you see I have made an error, please let me know so I can correct what I have written.

I hope you found this page useful and be sure to check the links below for more information. They were written by experts and provide much more information. Some sites may not be up-to-date but they are always a work in progress. If you can, I would appreciate it if you would click on the “Like” below and leave a comment. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. You can also send an email to me at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com. I would enjoy hearing from you especially if you notice something is a bit whacky.

FOR FURTHER READING:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
INTERNATIONAL PLANT NAMES INDEX (GENUS/SPECIES)
TROPICOS (GENUS/SPECIES)
WORLD FLORA ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
DAVE’S GARDEN
MISSOURI PLANTS
MSU-MIDWEST WEEDS AND WILDFLOWERS
iNATURALIST
WILDFLOWER SEARCH
USDA PLANTS DATABASE
ILLINOIS WILDFLOWERS
MINNESOTA WILDFLOWERS
IOWA PLANTS
KANSAS WILDFLOWERS AND GRASSES
PFAF (PLANTS FOR A FUTURE)
GO BOTANY
FLORAFINDER
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY

NOTE: The data (figures, maps, accepted names, etc.) may not match on these websites. It depends on when and how they make updates and when their sources make updates. Some websites have hundreds and thousands of species to keep up with. Accepted scientific names change periodically and it can be hard to keep with as well. Some of the links may use a name that is a synonym on other sites. In my opinion, Plants of the World Online by Kew is the most reliable and up-to-date plant database and they make updates regularly. I make updates “at least” once a year and when I write new pages or add new photos but I do get behind. We are all a work in progress. 🙂