Flower:

Flowers are in flat clusters (umbels) 2 to 5 inches across, in groups (umbellets) of 20 to 30 flowers each. Individual flowers are white, have 5 petals and mostly about 1/8 inch across. The flowers on the outer edge of an umbel have petals of unequal size, with the outer petals much larger than the inner petals; the larger outer petals are sometimes notched at the tip.

The bracts at the base of both umbels and umbellets are distinctive: lobed into long, narrow segments and quite showy. One plant can have numerous clusters, at the end of branching stems. There is often a single flower in the center of an umbel that is dark purplish.

Leaves and stem:

Leaves are compound and fern-like, to 10 inches long, 6 inches wide, on long stems near the base of the plant, becoming smaller with much shorter stems and more widely spaced on the upper plant. Leaflets are divided into narrow segments; the lower leaves are twice compound and look more feathery than the upper leaves.

The main stem is typically hairy with fine lines. Leaves may be hairy along the veins and leaf edges.

Fruit:

As a flower cluster matures it folds up, creating a structure resembling a cage, holding the fruit: a ribbed seed with stiff hairs along the ribs. Seed ripens from purplish to greenish to brown. The entire seed head can detach from the plant and be carried by the wind to a new breeding ground.

Notes:

A plant blooms for most of the summer so It is not unusual to see flowers in varying stages of maturity at the same time on a single plant. There are multiple species in the carrot family with small white flowers and divided leaves, but Queen Anne's Lace is easy to distinguish by its showy bracts. When not flowering, its feathery compound leaves might be confused for other members of the carrot family, but leaves of other species are typically smaller or less finely divided. Queen Anne's Lace also prefers dry soil so isn't likely found in wetlands or wet meadows. The food crop carrot was cultivated from this species. It makes one wonder if it will become invasive some day...