Daucus carota 
 

Common name: Queen Anne’s Lace, Wild carrot

Family: Umbelliferae

Origin: Eurasia

U.S. Distribution: Throughout

Height: Up to 3 ft.

Foliage: Alternate or basal, pinnately decompound, somewhat hairy, stem leaves sessile with a sheathing base, basal leaves long- petioled

Flowers: Small white to pinkish flowers arranged in flat topped umbels which become concave as the fruits mature

Bloom time: July to October

Habitat: Dry fields, meadows, pastures, waste places, roadsides

Soil: Prefers well drained, sandy soils

Other: A good source of vitamins A and E. The young leaves can be used as a salad green and the seeds can be used in place of caraway seeds for baking. The roots can be eaten after the first year, but after the second year they become tough and woody. Unlike the cultivated carrot, the wild carrot is white. However it has similar taste and aroma. If cows eat too much of the plant , their milk will taste bitter.
 
 

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