Wild Carrot (Daucus carota) is in the carrot family family (Apiaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 9,431 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in July.
Nationally it blooms mainly from July to September, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Wild Carrot: observations by month (U.S.)
About Wild Carrot
Daucus carota, whose common names include wild carrot, bird's nest, bishop's lace, and Queen Anne's lace (North America), is a white, flowering plant in the family Apiaceae, native to temperate regions of Europe and southwest Asia, and naturalized to North America and Australia.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Wild Carrot by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 986 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Vermont | 734 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Pennsylvania | 665 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Massachusetts | 544 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Ohio | 492 | July | Jul–Sep |
| Oregon | 463 | July | Jun–Sep |
| North Carolina | 431 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Kentucky | 401 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Washington | 348 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Wisconsin | 327 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Illinois | 300 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Minnesota | 300 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Texas | 293 | April | Apr–Jun |
| Michigan | 291 | July | Jul–Sep |
| New Jersey | 259 | July | Jul–Aug |
| California | 255 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Maryland | 251 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Virginia | 243 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Maine | 203 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Indiana | 185 | July | Jul–Aug |
| West Virginia | 164 | July | Jul–Aug |
| New Hampshire | 158 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Tennessee | 154 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Connecticut | 147 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Alabama | 105 | May | May–Jun |
| Mississippi | 105 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Missouri | 95 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Iowa | 87 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Arkansas | 78 | June | May–Jun |
| Delaware | 77 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Georgia | 62 | June | May–Jun |
| Rhode Island | 57 | August | Jun–Aug |
| Kansas | 36 | July | Jun–Jul |
| South Carolina | 31 | May | May–Jul |
| Colorado | 21 | July | Jun–Sep |
| Utah | 20 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Oklahoma | 16 | May | May–Jun |
| District of Columbia | 13 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Nebraska | 9 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Idaho | 7 | July | Jun–Jul |
| South Dakota | 5 | August | Jul–Oct |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (carrot family)
Poison Hemlock
Harbinger of Spring
Common Cowparsnip
golden Alexanders
Purple Sanicle
Aniseroot
Wild Parsnip
Pacific Sanicle
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wild Carrot?
Nationally, July has the most observations, with the main season from July to September.
Where is Wild Carrot most often seen?
The most observations come from New York, Vermont, Pennsylvania.