Wild carrot (Queen Anne’s lace) may not seem like a problem now, but with its tenacious growth habits, it can become a big problem. We’ve outlined how to identify and control it.
Wild carrot (Daucus carota), also known as Queen Anne’s lace, is a herbaceous biennial in the carrot family that can grow between 2 and 4 feet in height. Its stem is roughly hairy, upright and stiff, with fernlike leaves that germinate in the spring. Additionally, its leaves increase in size toward the base of the stem and have a carrotlike odor, hence its name.
This invasive plant is best known for its flowers, which are tiny, are white and bloom in flat-topped clusters with a dark purple center. Its small, brown fruits have hooked spines that can attach to both clothing and animal fur, which aids in its dispersal. Some plants will flower and set seed during the first year of growth, but most will overwinter without flowering. While wintering, it anchors with a deep taproot that sends up tall flowers and stalks in the second year.
Native to Europe and southwestern Asia, wild carrot arrived in North America with European settlers. It grows predominantly in disturbed dry grasslands, fields, meadows, pastures, ditches and roadsides. Wild carrot also often invades open waste ground, competing for resources with native grasses and forbs. Additionally, this plant can be a threat to recovering grasslands and prairies due to its fast maturity and ability to grow larger than many native species.
Apply 16 to 20 fluid ounces of DuraCor® herbicide per acre or 24 fluid ounces of NovaGraz™ herbicide plus 1% MSO v/v per acre. Use higher rate on larger plants prior to flower.
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White clover and annual lespedeza exhibit some initial injury (such as lodging and loss of vigor) but recover. NovaGraz™ and DuraCor® are not registered for sale or use in all states. Under normal field conditions DuraCor is non-volatile. DuraCor has no grazing or haying restrictions for any class of livestock, including lactating dairy cows, horses (including lactating mares) and meat animals prior to slaughter. Label precautions apply to forage treated with DuraCor and to manure and urine from animals that have consumed treated forage. Consult the label for full details. Always read and follow label directions.
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