Nodding umbels of tiny white flowers seem to float atop a tangle of feathery foliage; a delicate, spicy-sweet scent fills the air, while a rugged rendition of a familiar-flavored root penetrates deep into the soil. This is Queen Anne’s lace, the genetic forbearer to today’s carrot and a potent medicinal herb.
Native to temperate regions of Asia and Europe, Queen Anne’s lace was introduced to the Americas by European settlers mainly for medicinal use. The attractive and useful plant spread across the country, treating an impressive array of ailments on its way. It was readily adopted by Native Americans, and has naturalized in every one of the continental states.
What is Queen Anne’s lace?
Daucus carota, also known as “wild carrot,” is a biennial plant in the Apiaceae family — which also includes plants like celery, cilantro, and parsnips. In its first year, Queen Anne’s lace is short and inconspicuous, producing leaves that look very much like carrot tops, as well as an edible root. It completes its life cycle in the second year, sending up a single stalk to support a large, compound flower (umbel) composed of hundreds of little flowers (florets) that bear two seeds each.
The flower’s delicate pattern has a lace-like appearance, and the signature, dark floret often seen in the center is said to represent a drop of blood shed when Queen Anne pricked her finger while making lace. Since this pretty wildflower shows a preference for poor soil, it is commonly considered a weed, and it can be invasive in some areas.
Like many weeds, however, it has some serious redeeming qualities. The tenacious tap root helps break up hard and compacted soil to improve drainage and soil structure; the copious little flowers attract many beneficial insects and pollinators; and the plant’s scent helps deter common garden pests. Aside from being a natural garden ally, it was historically used as a source of food and medicine.
Traditional uses
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Throughout history, different parts of Queen Anne’s lace have been used by herbalists around the world in one way or another. In China, a decoction of Daucus carota (野胡萝卜 ye huluobo) has long been used to treat dysentery and intestinal parasites. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is said to strengthen the spleen and remove stagnation.
The seeds have long been tied to women’s reproductive health, and were used to stimulate lactation, regulate the menstrual cycle, and as a natural contraceptive. Oil extracted from the seeds has been valued for its anti-inflammatory, emollient, and skin-softening properties.
The ancient Greeks and Romans used the seeds and roots to treat digestive problems and inflammation, and the first-year root was cultivated and cooked as a vegetable during the Roman Empire. After it was introduced to the Americas, native tribes also used the roots for food — boiled, steamed, or dried for winter use.
Native Americans found a variety of medicinal applications for the plant, as well. To reduce swelling, the Cherokee used the whole plant to make an infused wash. To treat diabetes, the Delaware and the Mohegans used a flower infusion. The Micmac tribe found consuming the leaves was useful as a purgative.
Medicinal properties
Modern research shows that Queen Anne’s lace does indeed possess many therapeutic qualities, owing to a variety of bioactive compounds found throughout the plant.
- Anticoagulant – Coumarines found in the plant may promote healthy circulation by reducing blood clot formation.
- Anti-inflammatory – Flavonoids like luteolin and quercetin found in Queen Anne’s lace provide anti-inflammatory properties that can help alleviate pain from swelling.
- Antimicrobial – Antimicrobial compounds and volatile oils found in the plant boost immunity and contribute to wound healing.
- Antioxidant – Daucus carota’s flavonoids, carotenoids and phenolic acids work together as antioxidants to combat oxidative stress and neutralize free radicals, reducing the risk of chronic disease.
- Aromatherapeutic – Stems and foliage of Queen Anne’s lace contain volatile organic compounds called terpenoids, which give the plant its characteristic scent. These compounds can have a calming and uplifting effect when inhaled.
- Carminative – Volatile oils and polyacetylenes in Queen Anne’s lace help stimulate digestion and soothe the gastrointestinal tract to reduce digestive discomfort.
- Contraceptive – Apiol, a compound found in the seeds of wild carrot, may interfere with the production and release of eggs from the ovaries, minimizing the possibility of fertilization and pregnancy.
- Emmenogogue – Studies show that extracts from the seed may induce menstruation.
In short, Queen Anne’s lace is known to have a stimulative effect on the circulatory, digestive, endocrine and urinary systems.
Growing Queen Anne’s lace?
Whether you realize it or not, you probably have access to Queen Anne’s lace without giving up your precious garden space, so I will focus instead on proper identification and control of this vigorous visitor.
Identification
Queen Anne’s lace is commonly found along roadsides or in open fields, meadows, abandoned lots, and other disturbed areas. Ample sunlight and good drainage are its only limiting factors. While it is not difficult to find, identification can be tricky — yet this is of utmost importance.
Some very toxic members of the Apiaceae family — like poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) and water hemlock (Cicuta spp.) — bear a striking resemblance to Queen Anne’s lace, so be extremely diligent in checking for these identifying characteristics:
- The foliage of Queen Anne’s lace is very similar to that of poison hemlock, but both are much finer in texture than water hemlock.
- Queen Anne’s lace rarely exceeds four feet in height, while water hemlock and poison hemlock both grow much taller (three to nine feet).
- The root of Queen Anne’s lace smells carrotty, while poison hemlock root smells musty and unpleasant, similar to mouse urine.
- The stems of Queen Anne’s lace have fine hairs, while the stems of both water and poison hemlock are smooth.
- Queen Anne’s lace has one large, dense umbel on a single stem, while poison hemlock has branched stems bearing loose umbels with more separated bunches of flowers.
- Queen Anne’s lace stems are a solid green, while poison hemlock has small purple spots along the stem.
Other white-flowering look-alikes include Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), angelica (Angelica spp.) and wild parley (Anthriscus sylvestris); although none of these are toxic.
Weed control
Queen Anne’s lace spreads readily by seed, so if you are trying to control it, be sure to snip the spent flowers before seeds form (unless you will harvest them for medicinal use). Plants will die after they bloom in their second season, so digging them up is generally a waste of energy.
Home remedies with Queen Anne’s lace
Cooking
Add a pinch of seeds to your meal — especially for foods that give you gas — to aid digestion. For best results, add the seeds in the last 10 minutes of cooking and cover to retain the volatile oils.
Tender, young foliage can also be used to garnish salad, and flowers in bloom can be battered and fried into fritters for a summer treat.
Herbal infusion
A Queen Anne’s lace infusion can be made from the foliage and flowers to be used as a diuretic. Add four cups of boiling water to one ounce of the dried herb and sip throughout the day to help flush toxins from the body and treat kidney or bladder infections.
This circulation-stimulating infusion may also help lower blood pressure, improve edema, boost memory, and bring on delayed menses (but first be certain you are not pregnant).
Seed decoction
A stronger decoction may help dissolve kidney stones. Simmer four tablespoons of seed and four cups of water in a covered pot for 20 minutes.
Boiled root
Boiling the root of Queen Anne’s lace releases its emollient properties, which, combined with its antiseptic properties, can help heal gastrointestinal ulcers (taken internally) and external wounds (used as a poultice). Choose young roots from the first year of growth, as they become hard and woody in the second season.
