Is it the same as a garden carrot?

It is the wild ancestor, but the roots are woody and bitter compared to cultivated varieties.

How do I tell it apart from poison hemlock?

Poison hemlock has smooth, purple-spotted stems and lacks the hairy texture of wild carrot.

Plant guide

Wild Carrot.

Daucus carota subsp. carota

Pronounced DAW-kus ka-RO-ta

Also known as Daucus carota subsp. carota, Queen Ann's Lace, Queen Anne's lace, Queen Anne's-lace, Queen's-lace, Salosi

Wild carrot is a charming biennial wildflower often called Queen Anne's lace. It produces intricate, flat topped clusters of tiny white flowers that look like delicate lace. You'll often spot it growing along roadsides and in open fields.

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Biennial
Light: Full sun
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 7 to 14 days
Mature size: 100 cm tall
Growth rate: Medium
Hardiness: USDA 3 to 10
Bloom time: Late spring to early autumn

Care

This plant thrives in sunny, open areas with well drained soil. It is very low maintenance, but keep an eye out for aphids or powdery mildew if the air circulation is poor. Ensure it has plenty of space to spread, as it can self seed quite freely.

Watering: Water deeply during dry spells to keep the soil lightly moist.
Feeding: Wild carrots generally do not require supplemental fertilizer.
Pruning: Deadhead spent flowers if you want to prevent unwanted self seeding.
Repotting: This plant is typically grown directly in the ground and does not require repotting.
Soil: Well drained, sandy or loamy soil
Soil pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline
Temperature: -20 to 35°C
Humidity: 40 to 70%
Drought tolerance: High
Lifespan: Biennial, typically 2 years.
Fragrance: Light
Deer and rabbits: Moderate

Signs it needs repotting

Roots growing out of the bottom drainage holes.
Stunted growth despite regular watering.

Safety

People: The foliage can cause skin irritation in some people when exposed to sunlight.
Pets: This plant can cause skin irritation in some pets due to furanocoumarins in the leaves.
Children: The plant is not inherently dangerous to children, but the risk of misidentification with toxic species makes it a poor choice for gardens where children might forage.
Contact allergens: Contact with the foliage can cause phytophotodermatitis in sensitive individuals.
Airborne allergens: The pollen can cause mild allergic reactions in those sensitive to Apiaceae pollen.
Edibility: Wild carrot foliage and roots can be confused with deadly poisonous lookalikes like poison hemlock, so never harvest unless you are 100 percent certain of the identification.

How to identify it

Flat topped white flower clusters
Finely divided fern like foliage
Single dark purple central floret
Hairy stems and leaves
Taproot smells like garden carrots

Height: 0.3 to 1.2m
Spread: 0.2 to 0.45m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: white, 5 to 15cm
Fruit: brown, Autumn

Problems to watch for

Carrot Rust FlyCommon
Powdery MildewCommon
AphidsUncommon
Aster YellowsUncommon
BoltingUncommon
Root MaggotsUncommon

By symptom

Check your wild carrot from a photo

Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.

Growing it

Propagation: seed
When to plant: spring, autumn
Overwintering: The plant forms a low rosette of leaves in its first year that stays green through mild winters. No special protection is needed as it is quite hardy.
In containers: It can grow in large pots, but its long taproot requires a deep container of at least 30 centimeters.

Seed

Collect seeds from dried flower heads in late autumn.
Sow seeds directly into the garden soil in early spring.
Lightly cover with soil and keep moist until germination.

Plant in sunny, open areas to ensure the best flower production for pollinators.

Grows well with

Tomato — It provides shade and keeps the soil moist for the tomato roots.
Leek — They share similar growing conditions and do not compete for resources.

Keep away from

Dill — They are in the same family and can cross-pollinate or attract the same pests.

Similar species

Poison Hemlock — It looks very similar but is highly toxic.
Yarrow — It has similar flat-topped flower clusters but different foliage.

Science

Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Daucus
Order: Apiales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe and southwestern Asia.
Conservation: It is considered an invasive weed in many parts of North America and is not of conservation concern.

It thrives in disturbed soils and open fields where it can outcompete other plants for sunlight.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, larval host plant
Pollinators: bees, butterflies, beetles
Uses: pollinator garden, wildlife habitat, ornamental lace flower

Through the year

JFMAMJJASOND

Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 2/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 4/9
Nutrients: 3/9
Light: 7/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is it the same as a garden carrot?: It is the wild ancestor, but the roots are woody and bitter compared to cultivated varieties.
How do I tell it apart from poison hemlock?: Poison hemlock has smooth, purple-spotted stems and lacks the hairy texture of wild carrot.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Daucus is from the Greek word for carrot, while carota is the Latin term for the root. The common name refers to the delicate, lace-like appearance of the flower heads.

Good to know

Queen Anne's Lace is the wild ancestor of the common garden carrot.
The name comes from the legend that Queen Anne pricked her finger while making lace, staining the center flower purple.
It is a biennial, meaning it grows leaves the first year and flowers the second.

Also in

Keep your wild carrot growing

This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.

Get the app

This guide was generated with AI and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.