It usually common practice to allow your carrot plant flower. When a carrot plant flowers, it simply means that the carrot has been left unharvested to winter in the ground and then return in spring.
Most beginners in the gardening field feel that carrot plant flowering is an anomaly. The simple explanation is that carrots being biennial plants, will produce flowers and seeds in their second year if left to grow rather than being harvested.
When it comes to the similarity between Carrot flowers vs Queen Anne's Lace, it simply stems from the fact that carrot flowers look almost the same as the delicate Queen Anne’s Lace.
Table of Contents
Carrot Flowers Vs Queen Anne's Lace | Key Differences
1. Description
Queen Anne’s lace is also called wild carrot and belongs to the Family Apiaceae. The plant is primarily considered to be an invasive weed, and it's a common sight in dry fields, roadside ditches, and open areas.
The plant is probably called wild carrot due to its similarities with the carrot flowers. The carrot plant is considered the domesticated version of Queen Anne’s lace plant.
Like the Queen Anne’s lace plant, the carrot plant belongs to the family, Apiaceae but its majorly cultivated for its taproot. However, the stems and leaves are also eaten.
2. Edibility
A flowering carrot is usually a sign that the plant has bolted and is not good to eat. Thus, it will not make any sense to harvest the taproot when the carrot plant starts to flower.
On the bright side, the carrot flowers and their seeds can be eaten and usually add a visual appeal when added to salads.
The seeds can also be used in soups and stews or to flavor teas. Queen Anne’s lace plants are not considered edible.
However, in some circumstances, the taproot of the plant when young is edible. Queen Anne’s lace leaves can cause skin irritation in some people, especially those sensitive to celery or chrysanthemums.
3. Outlook
In terms of outlook, the carrot flowers are almost the same thing as Queen Anne's lace plants, probably because the plant is a wild version of the carrot plant.
Carrot flowers are lacy and usually white and grow on a single stalk into a bowl-shaped configuration of smaller stalks on top. These smaller stalks will then produce tiny white flowers at their ends.
Queen Anne's lace has up to a thousand tiny white flowers are produced in lacy, flat-topped clusters (umbels) with a dark, purplish center.
As the seeds ripen, the inflorescence curls inward to form a "bird's nest" shape and turns brownish.
4. Care Guide
Being a wildflower, Queen Anne’s lace doesn’t require much attention and thrives best under minimal attention.
The plant can adapt to any soil condition but thrives best in well-draining, neutral to alkaline soil under partial shade.
The plant doesn't need to be watered frequently unless in a period of extreme drought and doesn’t need fertilizing.
The carrot plant being a domestic plant requires more specific care such as full sunlight, loamy and airy soil, and frequent watering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is queen anne's lace the same as wild carrot?
Queen Anne's lace is also known as wild carrot and even shares the same scientific name - Daucus carota.
What flower looks like queen anne's lace?
The carrot flowers and Poison Hemlock share certain similarities with Queen Anne's Lace. Most often, the plants are mistaken for one another.
Is Queen Anne's lace flower poisonous?
No. Queen Anne's Lace is not poisonous: the plant's taproot is perfectly edible when young.
Is Queen Anne's lace invasive?
Yes. Queen Anne's Lace is considered an invasive plant. Thus, if you must grow the plant, make sure you have sufficient space.
Conclusion
Most often than not, carrot plants are grown not for their flowers but for their taproot. But if you have enough carrot seeds, nothing stops you from growing carrots both for their taproot and its bloom.
The carrot flowers, which look exactly like its cousin, the Queen Anne's Lace (wild carrots), will definitely add some serene beauty to your porch or garden.
Thus, when the question is posed, Carrot flowers vs Queen Anne's Lace? We simply realize that the carrot plant is the domesticated version of the most Queen Anne's Lace, which is considered an invasive plant due to its propensity to spread far and wide.
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