Queen Anne's Lace II

 Note from the Author: This is an update on a weed I previously covered on June 9^th 2022.

 

This is the wild carrot found somewhere in Fayetteville NC. These biennials are just starting to emerge right now.

This Carrot is the Domesticated one, it is a Chantenay Red-cored carrot that I planted last year in my garden.

 

Common Name: Queen Anne’s Lace

 

Other Common Names: Bird’s Nest, Bishop’s Lace, Wild Carrot, Bee's Nest Plant, Devil's Plague (wtf on that last one).

 

Botanical Family: Apicaeae (The Carrot Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Daucus carota

 

Description & Habitat: Queen Anne’s Lace is a non-native biennial with a fleshy taproot and is effectively a undomesticated carrot. In the first year this wild plant will develop a rosette of finely divided leaves and in the second year it will develop a flower stalk that produces a cluster of white flowers that will often have a dark red or purple flower in the center. Typically you will find Wild carrots in lawns, pastures, abandoned lots, yards and other wild places with soil that has good drainage and are typically sunny.  Every part of this plant is edible thought he root may be white or yellow and color and far smaller than the carrots you buy at the store.

 

There are a few interesting things I found while re-researching this wild plant for this posting. Firstly, the family name for the Carrot family changed from Umbrelliferae in or around 2011 to Apiaceae which means older publications will still be using the old name in 2025. My copy of Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses and my copy of Rodales: Herbs still uses this family name so keep that in mind when looking into this wild plant. Beyond this how many older publications treat an undomesticated carrot as if it is a dangerous weed when it really isn’t. Even the NC state extension site (see link below) treats it as if it’s dangerous. Then there is the discussion of the root colors; I already noted that wild carrots are probably going to be white or yellow. But did you know the orange colored carrots at the store were naturally hybridized in the 1500’s most likely in Spain? We know this because there is there are paintings from Spain in the 1500’s depicting orange carrots and genetic studies indicate that the orange color naturally appeared as opposed to being intentionally hybridized. Before the orange color came around it is noted that the first definite writings of and depictions of carrots as a root vegetable originate in what is modern day Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan, and those carrots were white, yellow purple and a shade of purple so dark, that it is effectively black. The reason you do not see more purple and black colored carrots in the seed trade is because they have a much lower germination rate than more hybridized types. Baker’s Creek Seeds sells the darkest purple types I’ve ever seen.

 

 

When & What to Harvest:  The leaves, flowers and unripe seed pods are all safely edible. Ideally you want to start harvesting these during January or February before seeds are fully formed.

 

Edible Related Plants: Cumin (Cuminum cyminum), Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), Parsley (Petroselinum crispum), Parsnips (Pastinaca sativa), Celery (Apium graveolens), Anise (Pimpinella anisum), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Lovage (Levisticum officinale), Angelica (Angelica archangelica), Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium).

 

Similar Dangerous Species:  Poisonous Hemlock (Conium maculatum) which is in the same family. You can tell Poison hemlock from Wild Carrots with some pretty easy to identify physical features. Poison Hemlock is a biennial that has stems with purple splotches that can be anywhere from two to ten feet tall. Poison hemlock’s leaves are divided and compound and taper to a point, also, the bruised or crushed foliage of hemlock smell bad whereas carrots smell like carrots.

 

Recipe:  

 

Parsnip & Carrot Greens Pie

 

Ingredients:

6-8 Parsnips

3-4 Medium Carrots (For the Greens)

1-4 Tablespoons of butter

Tahini to taste (Make sure it has enough lemon in it)

1-2 frozen plain pie shells (Or if you make your own, 1 deep dish one)

Salted Sunflower seeds or Slivered Almonds.

 

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Wash your carrot greens thoroughly to remove debris and dirt/grit.

3. Cut up your parsnips as finely as is possible

4. Steam your parsnips until they are soft. (10-15 mins)

5. Chop up your carrot greens as finely as is possible. (You can use a food processor to render them into paste also)

6. Mix your carrot greens with the tahini and use to coat the inside of the pie shells. Save about half for the next step.

7. Mash your steamed parsnips and mix in the remaining Tahini-carrot blend.

8. Fill pies with mixture.

9. Decorate top of pies with the Almonds or Sunflower seeds.

10. Bake for about 20 minutes or until you see the pies turning golden brown.

 

This recipe was originally published in the Fedco Seeds and Supplies Catalog for 2025 on page 55. I’ve tried this recipe a few different ways and the above is my preferred modification to it. For note I made my own tahini for it but you can buy that from the international aisle at a lot of grocery stores.

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/daucus-carota/

 

Where to get seed or Bare Root Plants:

(Black Carrot Seeds)

https://www.rareseeds.com/carrot-pusa-asita-black

 

(Wild Carrot Seeds)

https://southernseeds.com/products/wild-carrot-bishops-flower-500-seeds-floral-design-culinary-uses-ammi-majus?srsltid=AfmBOooTx8kw681cSCQuDFNt9fJwvVu67fjl4LsZgxUcm4fotx-2JxTq

 

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

For those of you wondering what plants are going to be at the market this weekend here is the list.

 

Fresh Foods:

Soup Kit – Parsnip

Soup Kit – Turnip

Turnips

Parsnips

Onions

Celery

Potatoes

Garlic Bulbs

 

Soil Amendment Products:

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 18 Gallon Tote*

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 3 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 1 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Enhanced Potting Soil – 1 Gallon Bag

 

Houseplants:

Abutilon

Aloe, American

Begonia, Sindbad

Cuban Oregano, Large Leaf

Hoan Ngoc

Pothos, Cebu Blue

Rose Campion

Selaginella

Solanum uleanum

Sorrel, Raspberry Dressing

Swiss Cheese Plant

 

 

*The 18 gallon tote is by special order only and is delivered to any address within the Fayetteville city area.

 

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Winter 2025

 

Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is March 1^st at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.

Swine Cress II

 Note from the Author: This is an update on a weed I covered March 28^th, 2015.

 

 

Although it is mixed in with a Henbit, this Swine Cress is doing real nice in a cinder block edging on the side of a vegetable garden.

Spotted next to a building in Vander NC, this little one is a perfect example of what Swine Cress looks like.

 

Common Name: Swine Cress

 

Other Common Names: Hairy Bittercress, Hoary Bittercress, Lamb’s Cress, Land Cress, Springcress, Flick Weed and, Shot Weed.

 

Botanical Family: Brassicaeae (The Cabbage/Crucifer Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Cardamine hirsuta

 

Description & Habitat: Swine Cress is a non-native cool season annual that typically emerges in late fall or during the winter in the southeast. The foliage of this plant is pinnate with small kidney-shaped (Reniform) leaflets. The number of leaflets on the stems of this plant can vary based on how big the plant is and other factors of growing environment. The petioles (leaf stems) are typically red in color while the leaflets are a rich green color. Swine Cress is typically found in areas with moist soil and in the urban environment it will appear beside walkways, through the rocks in gravel areas, beside buildings, in yards, areas with disturbed soil and, sometimes in potted plants left outdoors for the winter. Its seed pods do have a mechanism to fling seeds away which is why it is called Flick Weed, Shot Weed or Popping Cress. Speaking of this plant’s name the Botanical Latin name has specific but pretty obvious meaning, ‘Cardamine’ comes from kardaminē which means ‘Water Cress’. The specific epithet ‘Hirsuta’ simply means ‘hairy’. Swine Cress is a member of the Brassica family which means it is related to a large number of food staples that we see at the grocerty store on a regular basis. Some of those foods include; Cabbage, Kale, Mustard Greens, Turnips, Arugula, Radishes, Rutabagas, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Horse Radish, Collards, Rapeseed/Canola, Brussels Sprouts, Kohlrabi, and there are a ton of others not listed. Likewise other relatives of this plant can be found at garden centers in the seed rack or as plants in the case of Silver Dollar plant (Lunnaria sp.), Sweet Alyssum (Lobularcia maritima) and Wallflower (Erysimum cheiri). The point here is that Swine Cress is in a relatively safe family and thus is very safe to eat as a forage-able green. On a strictly biological perspective Swine Cress is a model example of a plant with an Annual life cycle as it completes its life cycle in just 12 weeks.

 

 

When & What to Harvest:  The leaves, flowers and unripe seed pods are all safely edible. Ideally you want to start harvesting these during January or February before seeds are fully formed.

 

Edible Related Plants: Plants that look similar to this include Arugula (Eruca sativa), Upland Cress/Creasy greens (Barbarea verna), Water Cress (Nasturtium officinale) and Radishes (Raphanus sativus). All of the aforementioned plants are in the Cabbage family.

 

Similar Dangerous Species:  There are none that I was able to locate.

 

Recipe:  

 

Swine Cress Pesto

 

Ingredients:

20 rosettes of Swine Cress (can be as low as 15 depending on the size)

4 Tablespoons of Robust Olive Oil

½ Teaspoon of Black Garlic (or two fresh garlic cloves)

¼ Teaspoon of Black Pepper

¼ Teaspoon of Pink Salt (regular iodized will do fine if you prefer)

A Squeeze of Lemon

Grated Parmesan & Romano (this is to taste, I personally prefer more)

 

Instructions:

1. Trim and clean up the Swine Cress foliage and keep an eye out for debris, and caterpillars.

2. Wash the Swine Cress foliage thoroughly.

3. Take all of your ingredients and run through a food processor or if using a blender use one of the lower settings to properly pulverize everything.

 

Alternate instructions:

3. If you do not have a blender or food processer, you can simply slice up the cress as fine as possible and set it aside.

4. Using a skillet or frying pan, heat the oil then add the garlic first if it is fresh.

5. Add all other seasonings except the cheese and gently cook for a few minutes to let the flavors blend.

6. Add the chopped Swine Cress and cook until the cress has noticeably started to darken and gone soft.

7. Remove from heat and transfer your pesto to a container that is able to handle heat and then add the cheese to it and stir thoroughly.

8. Serve over pasta, with chicken or with other vegetables.

 

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cardamine-hirsuta/common-name/hoary-bittercress/

 

Where to get seed or Bare Root Plants:

I could not locate a credible vendor for these seeds.

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

For those of you wondering what plants are going to be at the market this weekend here is the list.

 

Fresh Foods:

Soup Kit – Parsnip

Soup Kit – Turnip

Turnips

Parsnips

Onions

Celery

Potatoes

Garlic Bulbs

Oyster Mushrooms

 

Soil Amendment Products:

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 18 Gallon Tote*

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 3 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 1 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Enhanced Potting Soil – 1 Gallon Bag

 

Houseplants:

Abutilon

Aloe, American

Begonia, Sindbad

Cuban Oregano, Large Leaf

Hoan Ngoc

Pothos, Cebu Blue

Rose Campion

Selaginella

Solanum uleanum

Sorrel, Raspberry Dressing

Swiss Cheese Plant

 

 

*The 18 gallon tote is by special order only and is delivered to any address within the Fayetteville city area.

 

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Winter 2025

 

Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is February 22^nd at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.

Carolina Desert Chicory II

 Note from the Author: This is an update on a weed I covered on April 14^th 2022 and briefly on February 23^rd 2024.

 

 

The head, the tail, the whole damn thing!

This is the uprooted specimen from above, note the lobes on the leaves and the beginnings of a flowering stalk.

This is a specimen that is starting to to put out a flower stalk, it's growing flat so it doesn't get mowed though.

 

 

Common Name: Carolina Desert Chicory

 

Other Common Names: False Dandelion, Texas Dandelion.

 

Botanical Family: Asteraceae (The Aster Family)

 

Botanical Latin Name: Pyrrhopappus carolinianus

 

Description & Habitat: Despite its name Carolina Desert Chicory is not a Chicory (Chincorium sp.), and its other common names are wrong too as it isn’t a Dandelion (Taraxicum sp.).  Carolina Desert Chicory (or C.D.C. for short) is a native annual member of the aster family which means it’s related but not quite the same. It is commonly found in yards, pastures, lawn areas, parks and by the roadside and is originally endemic to the southeast section of the United States hence the specific epithet ‘carolinianus’. Carolinianus means of the Carolinas or from Carolina so there is no doubt where this plant was first located and identified. The first  of this plant’s name is an amalgamation of two Latin words, Pyrrho and Pappus, the latter meaning ‘Fluff’ which refers to the silky parachutes the seeds have. The former Latin word’s meaning goes back to ‘Pyrrhos’ which means fiery or red colors referring to the bright color of the sepals in the flower.  CDC’s are generally listed in guide books as an annual however certain conditions can cause this plant to be a winter annual or act like a biennial. The growing habit of CDC is considered upright with leaves emerging from a central rosette that lacks visible stems. The leaves can be lobed but in the studied population often are barely lobed at all. The genetic diversity here is very pronounced as a roundly lobed specimen can be mere feet from one with no real discernable lobes at all. In general the leaves are roughly shaped like that of a Dandelion, minus the sharply angular lobes in the margins. Leaves attached to the flowering stalk of this plant become alternate in arrangement and the flowers are a bright yellow color but may also be white (rare) or an orange-yellow color as well. As seen in the included picture this plant can produce an impressive taproot. In some older publications this native member of the Aster family is listed as Pyrrhopappus carolinianus var. georgianus, Borkhausia caroliniana, Pyrrhopappus georgianus and, Sitilias caroliniana

 

When & What to Harvest:  The leaves, taproot, stems and flowers are all known to be safely edible. However you want to harvest the Taproot in fall if possible as it will be sweeter to the taste than other times of the year. The leaves can be eaten whenever but as with all rosette forming plants make sure to thoroughly inspect and wash them so all bugs and debris are removed. The flowers of this plant make for good components in making wine or beer as well as floral confections.

 

Edible Related Plants: In the southeast you are likely to encounter several Aster family relatives that are often mistaken for Dandelions such as Cat’s Ear Dandelion (Hypochaeris radicata), Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Asiatic Hawksbeard (Youngia japonica), Wild Lettuce (Lactuca virosa), Prickly Lettuce (L. serriola), Tall Lettuce (L. canadensis), Sow Thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) and Prickly Sow Thistle (S. asper).

 

Similar Dangerous Species:  There are none that I was able to locate.

 

Recipe:  

There is no formal recipe for candying wild flowers but here’s a general method I use specifically for Dandelion and other similar edible flowers. Firstly you will need a baking tray lined with parchment paper or non-stick foil and possibly a food safe kitchen brush. Firstly harvest what flowers you intend to use, then gently wash them and remove all green parts (if any kind of dandelion), then gently pat dry them. Depending on the amount of flowers you are planning to candy, have at least ¼ cup of Caster or, Powdered Sugar** ready to put on the flowers. Crack one egg* and remove the yolk, you need the whites for the next step. The next step can be done one of two ways***; either pour a little bit of the sugar on a plate then paint each blossom with the brush using the egg whites then roll each painted one around in the sugar until completely coated. Put each sugared blossom on the baking tray, you can wait a day or so based on humidity for these to dry normally or put them in the oven at about 75-100 degrees until they are dried which may only take a few minutes to a half hour depending on the oven. Store the candies in an airtight container or they will start to grow mold.

 

Alternates

*If you don’t like using raw egg, alternate options are Aquafaba (the juice from cooked or canned chickpeas), Powdered Meringue, or any baking protein substitute, the eggs are just a sticking agent here and are not absolutely needed. Salmonella is no joke, hospital visits aren’t cheap either and I don’t want any of you getting sick.

** If you do not have Caster or powdered sugar, you can take regular sugar and run it through a coffee grinder or food processor for 45 seconds or so to make a good substitute. I do not suggest using honey, agave nectar or any ‘wet’ sweetener as they can accelerate bacterial growth.

*** The alternate way to do this is to put the powdered sugar in a Ziplock bag and then add the egged flowers in and gently toss the mix to get them coated in sugar. After you are done you should not re-use the sugar in the bag nor go outside your house with it…think of the children!

 

 

Additional Information: (If applicable)

https://auth1.dpr.ncparks.gov/flora/species_account.php?id=559

 

Where to get seed or Bare Root Plants:

-I could not find any credible vendor who sells these seeds.

 

With all that garden goodness covered this is the part of the blog where I have to advertise for the Fayetteville City Market. Now I know you readers probably don’t much like advertisements, but my booth at the City Market helps to cover the costs of running the test garden and literally maintains the Research & Development budget that is used to bring you the information that has made up the backbone of this blog.  In addition to being able to process card payments we now take CashApp payments so your payment options for my product have tripled. With that said; if you want to get some GMO-free, Organic fruit, herbs, flowers and perennials, come on down to the Fayetteville City Market on 325 Maxwell Street in downtown Fayetteville between the hours of 9:00 am and 1:00 pm on Saturdays. Even in bad weather the market goes on though you might have to look for me under the ‘arches’ of the Transportation Museum’s front entryway.

 

For those of you wondering what plants are going to be at the market this weekend here is the list.

 

Fresh Foods:

Soup Kit – Parsnip

Soup Kit – Turnip

Turnips

Parsnips

Onions

Celery

Potatoes

Garlic Bulbs

Oyster Mushrooms

 

Soil Amendment Products:

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 18 Gallon Tote*

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 3 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Live Mushroom Compost – 1 Gallon Bag

Carolina Gold, Enhanced Potting Soil – 1 Gallon Bag

 

Houseplants:

Abutilon

Aloe, American

Begonia, Sindbad

Cuban Oregano, Large Leaf

Hoan Ngoc

Pothos, Cebu Blue

Rose Campion

Solanum uleanum

Sorrel, Raspberry Dressing

Swiss Cheese Plant

 

 

*The 18 gallon tote is by special order only and is delivered to any address within the Fayetteville city area.

 

 

How to stay in Contact with Us!

All you need to keep up with all our activities is to have a Nextdoor account and to look for the ‘Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville’ group and ask to join! You don’t have to live in Fayetteville to join us! Feel free to ask all your garden questions of our knowledgeable membership and post your cool garden pictures.

 

Sustainable Neighbors of Fayetteville

 

Also please take a gander at the YouTube version of this blog:

The Videos: Look Here

>Newest videos (1): Winter 2025

 

Meetings are still going on! Our next (unofficial) meeting is February 15^th at the Fayetteville City Market at 325 Franklin Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.