Queen Anne's Lace

General Information

Species Name: Daucas carota

Also Known As: wild carrot, bird's nest

Family: Apiaceae (Carrot)

Growth Form: Forb

Life Span: Biennial

Flowering Dates: June-September

Origin: Europe

Toxic: Reports of toxicosis in cattle and horses upon ingestion in Europe; sap may cause rashes or reaction upon contact with human skin

Noxious: No

Why Is It Invasive?

Queen Anne's Lace outcompetes native plants and invades roadsides, disturbed sites, fields, and rangelands. It can be a threat to recovering prairies and grasslands. 

What Does It Look Like?

General Description

Queen Anne's Lace is an herbaceous plant that can grow up to 4 feet tall. It has a distinct carrot smell. 

Flowers

Flowers are white or yellowish to pinkish-white and have 5 petals. They are small and grow in clusters at the end of stems. 

Leaves

Leaves are alternately arranged on the stem and increase in size down the stem. They are fern-like and have bristly or rigid hairs. 

Stems

The stem is upright, solitary or mildly branching, and hollow. Stem surfaces are smooth or may have bristly, rigid hairs. Stems are reddish to purple in color. 

Seeds

Seed are yellow to grayish-brown with one flattened side. The rounded side of the seed is ribbed. 

Photos

Young Queen Anne's Lace with lobed gray-green leaves, surrounded by blurred greenery in a natural setting.
White Queen Anne's lace flower with dense clusters and a single red floret at the center.
Thin Queen Anne's Lace stem with fine hairs, red leaves, and small buds against a blurred green background.
Green fern-like leaf with intricate patterns, set against a blurred brown background.
Queen Anne's lace blooming amidst vibrant green grass.
Three brown seeds on a textured blue surface with a measuring scale at the bottom.
Green Queen Anne's lace rosette growing on brown dried grass.

Where Does It Grow?

Queen Anne's lace is present across North America. It grows in fields, pastures, banks of streams and rivers, and disturbed areas. 

How Does It Spread?

Queen Anne's lace spreads by seed and was initially introduced to North America by colonists and escaped cultivation. Seed can be spread by wind, water, and wildlife or by people during outdoor recreation. 

How Do I Control It?

Mechanical

Cutting, mowing, and pulling before seeding can effectively control Queen Anne's lace. Wear gloves and other protective clothing to avoid coming into contact with the potentially toxic sap. 

Please contact your county weed control authority to determine appropriate removal methods.

Cultural

One way that invasive plant seeds and fragments can spread is in soil. Sometimes plants are planted purposefully. You can prevent the spread of invasive plants.

PlayCleanGo: Stop Invasive Species in Your Tracks

  • REMOVE plants, animals and mud from boots, gear, pets and vehicles.

  • CLEAN your gear before entering and leaving the recreation site.

  • STAY on designated roads and trails.

  • PLANT non-invasive species.

Herbicide

Please refer to the 2026 Guide for Weed, Disease and Insect Management in Nebraska and/or contact your county weed control authority. 

References and More Information

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

Missouri Department of Conservation

Nebraska Weed Control Association

Nebraska Weed Free Forage Program

North Carolina State University Extension Gardener

PlayCleanGo

Stubbendieck, J., Coffin, M., & Dunn, C. (2019). Weeds of the Great Plains. Nebraska Department of Agriculture.

University of Arkansas

University of Connecticut

University of Minnesota Extension

University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension