Daucus carota
Carrot, queen anne's lace, Queen Anne'S Lace
(c) Saryu Mae 前 朝琉, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Saryu Mae 前 朝琉 · licence
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Daucus carota (Carrot) is a non-native California herb in the Apiaceae family, recognized by key differences in plant size and leaf segment width/shape.
Carrot is a naturalized annual found in California's Central Coast, Central Valley, South Coast, and eastern Sierra Nevada regions in roadsides and disturbed places at elevations below 1,650 meters. Flowering from May to September, this plant produces small white flowers in delicate, lacy umbrella-shaped clusters. Growing 1.5 to 12 decimeters tall with generally branched stems, it spreads readily in open disturbed areas. Its finely divided leaves have multiple thin segments 2 to 12 millimeters long, ranging from linear to lanceolate and sometimes featuring irregular edges. The small fruits are 3 to 4 millimeters long, typical of plants in the carrot family.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species; key differences in plant size and leaf segment width/shape
Habitat and range
Habitat: Roadsides, disturbed places
Elevation: < 1650 m
California counties: San Francisco, Mendocino, San Diego, Los Angeles, Ventura, Inyo, Kern, San Bernardino, Lake, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Napa, Santa Barbara, Marin, Orange, Shasta, Humboldt, El Dorado, Calaveras, Sonoma, Placer, Sutter, Nevada, Amador, Yolo, Sacramento, Alameda, San Luis Obispo, Trinity, Siskiyou, Butte, Yuba, Del Norte, San Mateo, Kings, Glenn, Mariposa, Solano, Monterey
Outside California: to eastern North America, native to Europe
Bloom period
Daucus carota blooms May-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Achillea: Daucus has umbrella-like clusters that curl into nests; Achillea has flat-topped composite flower heads.; vs Visnaga: Daucus umbels curl inward forming nests; Visnaga umbels stay flat and rigid.; vs Conium: Daucus has leaf-like bracts and curls into nests; Conium lacks bracts and has purple-spotted stems.; vs Torilis: Daucus umbels fold into tight nests in fruit; Torilis umbels stay open and loose.; vs Perideridia: Daucus is hairy with leaf-like bracts; Perideridia is smooth without prominent bracts.
Frequently asked questions
Is Daucus carota native to California?
No. Daucus carota is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Daucus carota bloom?
Daucus carota blooms May-Sep.
Where in California does Daucus carota grow?
Daucus carota occurs in San Francisco, Mendocino, San Diego, Los Angeles, Ventura, Inyo, Kern, San Bernardino and other counties, at elevations of < 1650 m.
What plant family does Daucus carota belong to?
Daucus carota is in the Apiaceae family, genus Daucus.
What habitat does Daucus carota grow in?
Daucus carota grows in Roadsides, disturbed places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.