Image: Mike Habeck

Queen Anne's Lace - also known as Wild Carrot - is a common and striking summertime wildflower. The large, flat umbels contain many tiny flowers, along with a much darker colleague that usually resides near the center of the disk. The plant is not native to North America, though it's been here a long time. It probably originated in Central Asia, perhaps in or near present-day Afghanistan. Whatever its origin, it has certainly made itself at home here.