northeast-flora-and-fauna

Here's a Common Yarrow I saw last spring. I'd consider it a mid-sized wildflower, maybe getting 3 feet tall but frequently shorter than that. I personally think they look a lot like a completely unrelated wildflower, Queen Anne's Lace (the "wild carrot"). Both plants are mid-sized, and both have umbels of small white flowers. But there are differences: While both have pinnate (fern-like) leaves, Common Yarrow leaves are each more like a single fern while Queen Anne's Lace leaves comprise multiple fern-like leaflets. Queen Anne's Lace will usually have a red (or black if it's old enough) spot in the middle of the umbel. You'll usually see them at different points in the year, with Common Yarrow being most a springtime wildflower while Queen Anne's Lace is more of a summertime 1. I mentioned they're unrelated; Queen Anne's Lace is in the parsley/carrot family while Common Yarrow is in the aster/sunflower/daisy/composite family . Whil...