Hi, I'm new to the forum. I have been trying to do research on the Queen Anne's lace Daucus carota plant which I assume also grows in BC as it is very widely distributed. I heard it is from the Caucus? Not sure what that means. Popular as a flower in Victorian gardens. If you have any history of this plant I would appreciate that information.
Queen Anne's lace is some clothing worn by Queen Anne (6 February 1665 – 1 August 1714; Queen of Great Britain from 8 March 1702), probably made of silk. Not a plant. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Daucus carota (Wild Carrot) is a plant in the Apiaceae native to most of Europe and western Asia, including the Caucasus Mountains (presumably that's what your "Caucus" reference refers to). It is the species from which the cultivated Carrot is derived.
Michael Queen Anne's lace is the common name for Daucus carota in America. Do they not call it that in Britain? A Google image search will turn up loads of flower pics, but only a few lace pics.
ahhhhh heres another oportunity for us all to thank Carl Linnaeus. In this colonial outpost Queen Annes Lace is Ammi majus. a hardy annual that is best sowed in situ. any disturbance to the tap root and she stops growing and flowers poorly.
Anyway, after all the chatter about common names, from what I read on the internet it appears that Daucus carota is native to the region that is now Afganistan. It was probably first used medicinally for its diuritic properties. The edible carrot was appears to have been selected in that region as well. Here are three good sites to explore: http://www.siu.edu/~ebl/leaflets/carrot.htm http://veghome.ucdavis.edu/Classes/fall2004/AMR110C/Umbells.htm and: http://website.lineone.net/~stolarczyk/history.html from: http://website.lineone.net/~stolarczyk/
I know Queens Annes Lace as the Wild Carrot a most miserable weed to eradicate on farm land. During my teens on a slow day were forever pulling it after a rain, so as to get the root, since it grows much like a dandeleon. The farmer for whom I was working hated this weed with a passion, and he considered it as a destroyer of nutrients that were more appropiate for useful crops. Judging from the untilled fields in Ontario it appears eradication of this wild carrot is a losing battle. Durgan.
