Rattlesnake Weed (Daucus pusillus), or the American Wild Carrot, is a native annual found across North America, inhabiting various settings such as prairies, meadows, open woodlands, coastal bluffs, and disturbed areas. A rugged little plant, it can sometimes be observed as the last native flower competing in a sea of invasive annual grasses in degraded natural areas. With delicate, lacey foliage and umbels of small white flowers that mature into a cupped “bird’s nest” shape, it resembles a diminutive, fuzzy version of cultivated carrots or Queen Anne's Lace, its close relatives.
 
Rattlesnake Weed plays an important role in supporting butterflies, native bees, and many other flower-visiting insects. The flat-topped umbels of tiny flowers provide nectar, pollen, and mating platforms that attract a diverse array of pollinators. It serves as a valuable food source for several butterfly species, including the Northern Checkerspot (Chlosyne palla), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui), and Swallowtails (Papilio spp.), whose caterpillars feed on the foliage. The seed heads of Rattlesnake Weed also provide forage for a variety of birds and small mammals.
 
Rattlesnake Weed requires well-drained soils with early season damp. Germination is most successful from early spring sowing. Surface sow and lightly cover with sand up to 1/8" deep, keeping soil evenly moist but not wet. 
 
Due to the risk of hybridization, Daucus pusillus should never be intentionally introduced to any landscape where invasive wild carrots (Daucus carota, Queen Anne's Lace) are present, or alongside cultivated carrots (Carota sativa) if seed harvest is intended for either species.