Walking outdoors, you may notice tall, delicate lace-like white flowers growing on roadsides, in fields, and from sidewalk cracks. As a child I used to pick them and press them into books, later using the flattened dried flowers as bookmarks. I still sometimes find the beautiful lace-like bookmarks when perusing my old bookshelves. At the time, I had no idea of the plant’s medicinal value nor that it was a close relative to the garden carrot. Now I feel grateful to have gotten to know this plant more, and to share my findings with you.
Herbal Profile
Daucus carota
Common name: Queen Anne’s lace, Wild carrot, Cow parsley, Bird’s Nest
Family: Apiaceae or Umbelliferae
Parts used: Leaves, flowers and seeds
Taste: Astringent, pungent, oily
Energy: Warm, drying, stimulating, pungent, oily
Active constituents: Provitamin A (carotene), vitamins B1, B2 and C, flavonoids, volatile oil
Herbal actions:
- digestive carminative
- circulatory stimulant
- endocrine pituitary stimulant
- endocrine thyroid stimulant
- endocrine thyroid tonic
- urinary diuretic
- urinary antilithic
System tropism:
- digestive
- circulatory
- endocrine
- urinary
Wild Carrot vs Queen Anne's Lace
It might seem surprising that we have so many names for one humble herb. The genus name Daucus means “carrot” in Latin, while the species name carota is the old term for a carrot, hence “wild carrot.” The slightly more common name refers to Queen Anne of Denmark. It is said that some of the queen’s friends challenged her to create lace as beautiful as a flower, and while doing so she pricked her finger and left a drop of blood in the centre of the lace.
Is Queen Anne's Lace Poisonous?
No, Queen Anne’s lace is not poisonous, though individuals who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have sensitive skin should avoid the herb (see below). When foraging for Daucus carota, it is also important to take care that the identification is correct, as it has a couple of deadly look-alikes such as poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) and water hemlock (Cicuta spp.).
Queen Anne's Lace or Hemlock: How to Tell the Difference
Daucus carota is a biennial plant with taproots in the first year and seed-producing flowers in the second. Daucus carota grows to about 70 centimetres in height, and have straight and branched stems, covered with tiny, fuzzy hairs (sometimes we call these Queen Anne’s hairy legs). They’re a good first step to distinguishing the plant from the poisonous hemlock.
Additionally, the leaves of Daucus carota are pinnate and very finely divided, the lowest leaves being considerably larger than the upper; their arrangement on the stem is alternate and all of the leaves embrace the stem with a sheathing base. The upper surface of the leaves is smooth, whereas the underside is covered in coarse hairs.
The flower blossoms are densely clustered together in terminal umbels, or flattened heads, in which the flower-bearing stalks of the head all arise from one point in rays, like the ribs of an umbrella, each ray again dividing to form a second umbel of white flowers—the outer ones of which are irregular and larger than the others. The flowers are white and very small in size. When in full bloom, often from June to August, the flowers cluster together to form a nearly flat head shape. As the seeds ripen later in the summer and fall, the umbels contract and the outer rays begin to lengthen and curve inward so that the head forms a hollow cup.
Besides the coarse hairs on the plant’s stem to distinguish it from other plants in the family, Daucus carota has a distinguishing mark on the central flower of the umbel that is bright red or deep purple in colour. To remember this feature, we say that this point is where Queen Anne pricked her finger while tatting the lace. The small double seeds are oval and flattened slightly on one side, with tiny hook-like hairs on the other. The root is small and spindle shaped, white in colour, slender and hard. It has a strong aromatic smell and an acrid taste.
History of Queen Anne's Lace
In the 1st century AD, physician and medical herbalist, Dioscorides, recommended Daucus carota seeds to stimulate menstruation, relieve urinary retention, and to “wake up the genital virtue.” The Greeks believed that the roots were an expellant preliminary to love and called the plant Philon.
The ancestor of the cultivated garden carrot, the taproot of this wild carrot may be cooked and eaten in its first year. When the plant was introduced to England in the 16th century, the carrot was so appreciated that it became fashionable for ladies to put its feathery leaves in their hats. The herb also has a long history with women in Asia and Europe as a form of contraception. There are stories of women wishing to control fertility, leaving a small jar of the seeds at the bedside from which they would eat a handful after intercourse to “freshen their breath” and prevent implantation of a fertilized egg. More modern research has had varied results around preventing pregnancy, and herbalists do not recommend taking Queen Anne’s lace for this purpose.
Is Queen Anne's Lace Invasive?
Though aesthetically pleasing to look at, Daucus carota is classified as invasive in North America. Native to Europe, West Asia and Northern Africa, the plant was brought across the Atlantic by humans for its medicinal properties. Unfortunately, the introduction worked a little too well. Daucus carota may outcompete our native grasses and forbs, due to its rapid maturation and large size, posing a potential threat to grassland ecosystems. If you live in Canada or the US, this is even more reason to get foraging for Queen Anne’s lace—you’re getting a range of medicinal benefits, while doing our native plants a favour all at once.
Medicinal Properties and Indications
Digestive System
Daucus carota is an aromatic plant. The volatile oils in the seeds are carminative and very useful for coordinating and regulating gut contractions.
Indications:
- Indigestion after meals
- Windy colic
- Hiccups
- Burping
- Flatulence
- Chronic coughs
Circulatory System
With its aromatic, pungent, and stimulating properties, Daucus carota works to increase blood flow. We see the effects of the increase in circulation in the kidneys helping to stimulate urine. Daucus carota also moves blood in the uterus, and the herb can bring on delayed menses. Due to this emmenagogue action, it’s important to avoid taking the herb if you are pregnant or consciously trying to conceive.
Indications:
- Delayed menses
- Memory/brain support
Endocrine System
Herbalist Dr. John Christopher, considered Daucus carota a pituitary stimulant that initiates an endocrine cascade on the thyroid, kidneys, and sex hormones. In stimulating the endocrine glands, Queen Anne’s lace helps with hypothyroidism and increases metabolism. It may also be indicated for those with high prolactin levels, which suppress other hormones, and interestingly, those who crave dairy. The energy of the plant is said to harmonize the “higher” and “lower” centres for those seeking the spiritual path and whose clarity and perception is clouded by unresolved emotional or sexual problems.
Indications:
- Hypothyroidism
- Stimulate libido
- Stimulate milk production/lactation
- Weight loss
Urinary System
An “irritating” diuretic is how Queen Anne’s lace is described. The volatile oil irritates the kidneys, stimulating urine and moving mineral deposits out of the tissues. This movement of minerals is likely why it has been considered a specific herb for kidney stones. It is too pushy to use for acute kidney inflammation, but may be used when there is water retention, edema, arthritis and gout. Herbalist Matthew Wood indicates the use of Daucus carota when there is puffiness under the skin, water retention with menses, and “baby fat” especially in middle-aged women. The high volatile oil content provides antimicrobial activity, making the herb useful in cases of cystitis and prostatitis.
Indications:
- Edema
- Arthritis
- Gout
- BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia)
- Prostatitis
- Cystitis
- Kidney lithiasis
Contraindications and Safety
- Avoid in pregnancy due to its emmenagogue action
- Do not use if breastfeeding
- Leaves of the plant may irritate the skin
Preparations and Applications
Dosage:
Tincture (1:5): 2–3 ml, 3x daily (TID)
Tea (Infusion): 1–2 tsp. dried seeds, 8 oz. hot water, steep for 1 hour, take 3 cups/day
Recipe: Spiced Seed Mix with Queen Anne’s Lace Seeds
