Queen Anne's Lace

As you ride along the roadsides in Coweta, you can see the lacy white flowers of Queen Anne's lace. I stopped the other day to snap some photos because I think it makes a beautiful display, kind of like a field of little crocheted doilies. I have always been fond of Queen Anne's lace and remember using it as a doll's play umbrella.

I have read it is an ancestor of the carrot and the leaves do favor carrot foliage so I can believe that. It is not hard to imagine it was named for Queen Anne and brought over to this county by early settlers because they used it as an herbal remedy, but is not used that way any more. Some even say it can be dangerous if ingested.

Today, it is sadly classified as a weed. It is a biennial which is a plant that grows only for two years and only blooms in the second year. The curly bird's-nest-like flowers are the seed pods.

A friend of mine uses it to make the most gorgeous arrangements I have ever seen. It can be prettier as a filler than baby's breath and is elegant when arranged alone in a vase. My only objection would be the bugs and ants that can hide in the flowers, but if you give them a good shaking, you can pretty much take care of that problem.

Best of all, they are free for the taking. If you check the price of baby's breath at the grocery store you can pay between $6 and $12 for a small bunch, if it is available. Queen Anne's lace only takes a little bit of effort because it grows all the time and lasts well in water. What a bargain.

The best thing about it is that when you come across a big patch of it, if you squint it looks like a mini fairyland. To me it will always be a flower.