After blooming in mid to late summer, the Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota) flower begins to form seeds. The stems to the cluster of tiny flowers curl upward. Initially, the spent flowerhead resembles a graceful heart, but as it matures it resembles a brown bird's nest, giving this flower the common name of bird's nest flower in many parts of the country.
Queen Anne's Lace is also known as a wild carrot, and it is no wonder. According to Audubon, this flower is the ancient ancestor of cultivated garden carrots. The roots give off a distinct carrot scent. Healing Herb explains that Queen Anne's Lace has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries and is reported to work as a contraceptive and diuretic to heal kidney stones, a cure for hangovers and even to stimulate the pituitary gland to release sex hormones.
Whether you are seeking herbal remedies or, like me, you just enjoy the beauty of this striking flower and it's spent blooms, you can find Queen Anne's Lace in open fields, ditches and along roadsides from mid to late summer across the state of Maine.
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