Surrounded by beauty

I have come to fall in love with the wild flower calledQueen Anne's Lace. There is a field of it on the Chase Farm in Lincoln, R.I.


Legend of the Name:
The origin of when the plant received the Queen Anne moniker is unclear. There are several legends associated with it. One is that Queen Anne of England pricked her finger while making lace and stained it with blood. This refers to the slight reddish purple hue in the middle of each small floret contained within the flower head.

Arts, Crafts and Bouquets
The flower tops retain their lacy appearance when pressed and can be used on greeting cards, scrapbooking and other paper crafts. They make a beautiful addition to a wildflower wedding bouquet but look just as lovely by themselves in a vase.

Using Queen Anne's Lace in Food:
Queen Anne's Lace has many edible parts. The flower tops can be added to salads, made into a jelly or dipped in batter and fried as fritters. The root and seeds can be dried and used as a tea. The roots have a carrot taste and can be used in salads or cooked like a green or vegetable.

Cautions:
Extreme care must be taken in identification as the plant resembles hemlock. Pregnant women should not eat the roots or seeds of Daucus carota as they can cause uterine contractions. The leaves may also cause skin irritation.

Queen of Variety:
This hearty plant likes to take over the garden which is why many gardeners avoid it. However, for edible plant lovers and frugal crafters, Queen Anne's Lace is too valuable and versatile to be considered a weed.