Walk Softly – The Queen Has Hairy Legs

by Geoffrey Carpentier

Ah, late summer is upon us, and the first late summer blooms are brightening our roadsides and wild places. Rising high above many of these important pollinating plants is Queen Anne’s Lace, more correctly known as Wild Carrot (Daucus carota).

For years, I was under the impression the Wild Carrot and Queen Anne’s Lace were two different plants with subtly different characteristics. Spoiler Alert: Over time, I learned this was a fallacy, as they are one and the same! There are, however, several lookalike plants out there, some of which can be very dangerous to us. Read on to learn more.

So, how did its name arise? If we focus on Wild Carrot first, it’s easy. Dig it up and you will see a long pale yellowish tap root, penetrating deeply into the soil, just like the cultivated carrot which was derived from the wild plant, but the cultivar has an orange taproot.

What about Queen Anne’s Lace? This is a bit trickier, as it seems to have two very similar possible origins. The best explanation lies in the claim it was named after Queen Anne of England. Remember, Queen Anne’s Lace is not native to North America, but originated in Europe, so I like this theory. Still, for the skeptics out there, there were two Queen Annes, the one from the UK and the other, her grandmother, from Denmark. Both were expert lace makers, and the flowers of this plant do resemble lace. This still leaves me wondering which Anne it really was named after, but I guess it doesn’t matter in the long run.

One more fascinating tidbit, in the centre of the flower, called an umbel, is a tiny purple flower. Historians liken it to a drop of blood Queen Anne of England reportedly shed while making lace! I like this explanation even more. Finally, why did I call this column ‘The Queen Has Hairy Legs’? I was referring to the fact, the plant has a pubescent (= hairy) stem. This will become important in a few paragraphs, so stay tuned.

The plant is easily recognizable, due to its vertical posture and tall stems (up to 1.6 meters tall). It is a biennial plant, so it takes two years to flower. In the first season it has a very short stem and a cluster of leaves growing in a rosette, but no floral bouquets. In the second year, the blooms appear in a broad umbrella shaped white floral presentation. Once the flowers go to seed, the shape of the flower cluster changes. It curls in on itself producing a structure which looks like a bird’s nest, hence it’s other name ‘Bird’s Nest’.

Queen Anne’s Lace can be eaten, by harvesting the early season tubers and cooking them the same way you would prepare cultivated carrots. It also has many medicinal uses, including making tea from its roots. This has been scientifically proven to act as a diuretic which prevents and eliminates urinary stones and worms. Finally, it likely has anti-cancer attributes, but the science on this is still developing. As always, please don’t take medically related comments in this column as medical advice. If you want more information on its benefits and pitfalls, please consult a medical expert.

Now back to the question as to why we care if the Queen has hairy legs? That’s because a very similar, lookalike plant, Poison Hemlock, can be found in our area and is highly toxic and can cause paralysis and death if ingested. Contact with the skin can cause severe dermatitis. The plant has purple blotches and hairless stems and leaves but otherwise is like Wild Carrot in structure and appearance, although it can grow to 1.8 meters in height!

By the way, both Queen Annes likely did have hairy legs. Until the late 19th century, legs were covered by long dresses or hosiery, so shaving wasn’t undertaken, things have certainly changed!

Geoff Carpentier is a published author, expedition guide and environmental consultant. Visit Geoff on-line on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.