Queen Anne’s Lace ‘Queen of Africa’

Ammi majus

Features

  • Foliage & Filler
  • Medium producer
  • Toxic

Description

This is one of the most useful and productive filler flowers you can grow from seed. The more you pick, the more they flower. I plant hundreds of them every year and use every single stem. The lacy flower heads and crisp green-white color provide an invaluable backbone for late spring and early summer bouquets.

Please note: When cut, Queen Anne’s Lace emits a sap that is irritating to the skin and can cause scarring in extreme reactions. Use caution and wear gloves and long sleeves when harvesting. It is also potentially poisonous to livestock.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual
Height: 48 to 65 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 90 to 110 days
Plant spacing: 12 in
Pinch: not necessary

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Start seed indoors in trays 6 to 8 weeks before last frost; transplant out while the weather is still cool. Seed can be tricky to start indoors, so pop seeds into the freezer for 10 to 14 days before sowing to speed up germination. Succession-plant every 2 weeks for continual harvest.

Harvesting/Vase Life

Pick when 80 percent of the flowers on a stem are open. Stems tend to wilt if harvested earlier. Can cause skin irritation, so wear long sleeves and gloves when harvesting. Expect a vase life of 6 to 8 days.

Details

Description

This is one of the most useful and productive filler flowers you can grow from seed. The more you pick, the more they flower. I plant hundreds of them every year and use every single stem. The lacy flower heads and crisp green-white color provide an invaluable backbone for late spring and early summer bouquets.

Please note: When cut, Queen Anne’s Lace emits a sap that is irritating to the skin and can cause scarring in extreme reactions. Use caution and wear gloves and long sleeves when harvesting. It is also potentially poisonous to livestock.

Details

Plant type: hardy annual
Height: 48 to 65 in
Site: full sun
Days to maturity: 90 to 110 days
Plant spacing: 12 in
Pinch: not necessary

Seed Sowing & Growing Notes

Start seed indoors in trays 6 to 8 weeks before last frost; transplant out while the weather is still cool. Seed can be tricky to start indoors, so pop seeds into the freezer for 10 to 14 days before sowing to speed up germination. Succession-plant every 2 weeks for continual harvest.

Harvesting/Vase Life

Pick when 80 percent of the flowers on a stem are open. Stems tend to wilt if harvested earlier. Can cause skin irritation, so wear long sleeves and gloves when harvesting. Expect a vase life of 6 to 8 days.

Sources

How to Grow

Winter Mini Course

Learn how to start flowers from seed in this three-part video series

In our upcoming Winter Mini Course, you’ll learn everything you need to know to successfully start flowers from seed, including all of the necessary supplies, step-by-step instructions, special tips and tricks, and how to create a simple indoor seed-starting area.