Wild carrot (Daucus carota), or Queen Anne’s Lace, is a biennial plant that is commonly confused with poison hemlock. This weed can cause skin irritation upon contact, especially if one touches the sap and is then exposed to sunlight. Wild carrot mostly grows on well-drained to dry soils.
Mature wild carrot plant. Image by Ansel Oommen via Bugwood.org
Toxicity
While most people are unaffected by wild carrot, some sensitive individuals can develop a rash if exposed to the sap, as it has some of the same compounds as wild parsnip and giant hogweed. The plant is also slightly toxic to livestock and can taint milk if cows the milk is from ingest large amounts. Wild carrot is classified as a Class C noxious weed as of 2013, except where in cases where it is commercial grown. Also note that wild carrot looks very similar to poison hemlock, a very poisonous plant.
Queen anne’s lace leaves. Image by Harry Rose via commons.wikimedia.org
Identification
Seedlings: Cotyledons of wild carrot are long and thin, 0.8″ (20 mm) long and <1/10″ (1 mm) wide, tapering at both ends. First leaves are 3-lobed while subsequent leaves are highly dissected (feathery); grayish green, hairless above and hairy on leaf edges and undersides of veins. These form a basal rosette during the first year.
Wild carrot seedling. Image by Ohio State Weed lab of Ohio State University via Bugwood
Young wild carrot plant. Image from Iowa State University
Leaves: Wild carrot leaves have a yellowish-green color and feathery appearance with many small, compound, toothed leaflets. Leaves are alternately arranged.
Mature plant: In the second year, flowering stems develop. Stems are hairy, hollow, ridged, and yellowish-green. They are also branched and the base of the stalk can have a reddish appearance. The mature plant reaches up 1 to 4 feet tall and the entire plant is covered with coarse hairs.
Wild carrot leaves. Image by Ansel Oommen via Bugwood.org
Branching stem on queen anne’s lace plant. Image by Division of Agriculture of University of Arkansas System.
Flower/seeds: Flowers emerge in July of the second year and last til September. The inflorescence is made up of many white flowers in umbels, or clusters, of five petals. Each flower is white, sometimes with a slight pink hue, and often a single dark purple flower in the middle of the umbel. The center purple flower is characteristic of wild carrot plants. When the flowers mature, clusters close up, looking like a little bird’s nest.
Wild carrot flower head. Image by Rob Routledge of Sault College via Bugwood.org
Wild carrot fruit. Image by Chris Evans of University of Illinois via Bugwood.org
Management
Chemical control
University of California’s Weed Research and Information Center offers suggestions for chemical and non-chemical control options. For an excellent comprehensive guideline to both chemical and non-chemical management of wild carrot, please visit the wild carrot Weed Report from the Weed Control in Natural Areas in the Western United States published by the University of California.
Non-chemical control
Wild carrot can be effectively managed by pulling and mowing the weed during the first year when the plants are 7 to 10 inches tall and before the plants have gone to seed. Small infestations can be managed by digging and removing the tap roots. Once the plants have gone to seed, bag up the weeds. In addition, tilling for 2 or more years can help control an infestation.
Species Similar to Queen Anne's lace
Table 1: Shows Queen Anne's lace (Daucus carota) similarities and differences in identification compared to its similar species .| Species | Similarities | Differences |
|---|---|---|
| Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) | white, flat-topped flowers in clusters; fern-like leaves | smooth, waxy stems with purple splotches |
| Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) | white, flat-topped flowers in clusters; hairy stems | pinnate leaves, no purple splotches on stems |
References
Minnesota Department of Agriculture – Wild carrot. https://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pestmanagement/weedcontrol/noxiouslist/wildcarrot#:~:text=You%20must%20use%20extra%20caution,then%20is%20exposed%20to%20sunlight.
Washington State’s Noxious Weed Control Board – Wild carrot. https://www.nwcb.wa.gov/weeds/wild-carrot
A Pacific Northwest Extension Publication contributed by Oregon State University, University of Idaho, and Washington State University – Wild carrot. https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/catalog/files/project/pdf/pnw447.pdf
Ohio State University’s Ohio Perennial and Biennial Weed Guide – Wild carrot. https://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/single_weed.php?id=21
Weed Control in Natural Areas in the Western United States by University of California’s Weed Research and Information Center – Weed Report on Wild Carrot. https://wric.ucdavis.edu/information/crop/natural%20areas/wr_D/Daucus.pdf