Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Monday - May 16, 2011
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Plant Identification
Title: Visual difference between Yarrow and Queen Anne's lace in Austin, TX?
Answered by: Jimmy Mills
QUESTION:
What is different, visually, between yarrow and Queen Anne's lace?ANSWER:
Yarrow, Achillea millefolium (Common yarrow) and Queen Anne's Lace bear a great resemblance, but botanically they are quite different. They are in different families and their flowering structures are different.
Yarrow is in the Aster family (Asteraceae) and bears variously colored flowers in clusters at the tips of its shoots. Queen Anne's Lace is in the Carrot family (Apiaceae) and bears its white flowers in heads termed umbels at the tips of shoots
Another difference that is easy to see is in the leaves. By comparing the illustrations for Yarrow and Queen Anne’s Lace, you will see that they both have compound leaves, but the attachment of the leaves is different (scroll down to "leaf arrangement"). Leaves of Queen Anne’s Lace have an opposite arrangement while the leaves of Yarrow have an alternate arrangement. The leaves of Yarrow are also more finely divided. In fact, the species name millefolium literally means “ a thousand leaves”. Its kind of like a millipede, but different.
More Plant Identification Questions
Identification of a cucumber-like vine with fruit
November 16, 2011 - We found tiny, grape-size white melon-like fruit on a vine, with tomato-like/cucumber-like seeds. The leaves on the vine were similar to grape or cucumber leaves, but not spiny. They were behind our...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
June 11, 2010 - Dear Mr Smarty Pants.I hope you can help to save my sanity! I am a true believer in using native plantings, having a yard that is 99% native. I hope that fact provides me a little extra credit towar...
view the full question and answer
Smarty Plants on Jimsonweed
August 07, 2005 - White flowers that are seen a lot along hwy 58 east towards Tehachapi; they look like "angel's trumpet" but not sure... they are big, white and have dark green leaves and cluster in a bush..any ideas?
view the full question and answer
Plant Identification
April 01, 2009 - I have small shiny red berries growing on a tropical appearing shrub with green and marled yellow leaves. The leaves have widely serrated edges. The berries have a large seed inside and very little fl...
view the full question and answer
Plant identification
June 29, 2010 - I live outside of Cincinnati and I have a bush that has long yellowish leaves that grow like a spider plant. Just recently long purple things have grown in the middle of them. Is this normal or should...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
