Blue Lace Flower – Closely Resembling Queen Anne’s Lace

The blue lace flower (Trachymene coerulea) is a dainty annual plant from Western Australia with domed clusters of tiny sky-blue flowers. From a distance it looks a lot like Queen Anne’s lace, but in a soft blue color, which makes it a favorite with gardeners and flower arrangers.

Scientific Classification & Quick Facts

Common name	Blue lace flower
Scientific name	Trachymene coerulea
Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Tracheophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida
Order	Apiales
Family	Araliaceae
Genus	Trachymene
Type	Garden and cut flower, looks like Queen Anne’s lace
Native range	Australia
Colours	Light, sky-blue flowers
Flowering season	October to January
Height	Stems 24–30 in
Special feature	Cut flowers keep their colour for several days

Name and Origin

Botanists place the blue lace flower in the genus Trachymene. You may also see its older scientific name, Didiscus coeruleus, on seed packets. The second part of the name, coerulea, comes from Latin and means “sky-blue” – a perfect description of its petals.

In the wild, the plant grows in the southwest of Western Australia, where it flowers in the Southern Hemisphere spring and summer (roughly October to January). Seeds were taken to Europe in the 1800s, where it became a popular garden annual, and it later spread to gardens in North America and elsewhere.

What It Looks Like

Each flower head is a rounded umbrella shape, called an umbel, about 5-8 cm (2-3 in) across. It is made of dozens of tiny five-petaled flowers packed tightly together, giving it a lacy look. The color is usually pale lavender-blue, though white and pink garden varieties exist too.

The plant usually grows about 60-75 cm (24-30 in) tall, with slim, slightly hairy stems and finely divided leaves. Although it resembles Queen Anne’s lace and the garden flower Ammi majus (sometimes called false Queen Anne’s lace), it belongs to a different plant family. The likeness is mostly in the shape of the flower head.

How to Grow Blue Lace Flowers

Preparing the Garden Bed

Photo by: Louise Docker

Blue lace flowers like light, well-drained soil. Before planting, clear away weeds and stones, then mix 5-10 cm (2-4 in) of compost into the top layer of soil a week or so before planting. This helps the soil hold enough moisture without becoming soggy. If water tends to sit in puddles in that spot, choose a different place or use a raised bed.

A simple soil test kit can tell you whether your soil is acidic or alkaline. Blue lace flowers are not very fussy, and most ordinary garden soils that drain well will suit them.

Sowing the Seeds

In places with cold winters, start seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before your last expected frost. Press the seeds onto the surface of seed-starting mix and cover them very lightly – no more than a thin dusting of soil. Keep them moist until they sprout, which usually takes two to three weeks.

Blue lace flowers dislike having their roots disturbed, so many gardeners sow them in small biodegradable pots that can be planted straight into the ground. Before moving seedlings outside, “harden them off” by setting them outdoors for a few hours a day over 10-14 days. Plant them in the garden once all danger of frost has passed, spacing them about 20-25 cm (8-10 in) apart. In mild climates you can also sow seeds directly in the garden.

Sunlight and Watering

These plants grow best in full sun, or in light afternoon shade where summers are very hot. A spot sheltered from strong wind helps keep the tall stems from flopping over. Some gardeners add thin stakes or let the plants lean on their neighbors for support.

Water regularly so the soil stays slightly moist, but never waterlogged. Too much water can rot the roots, and too little can make the leaves wilt and stop the plant from flowering. Water at the base of the plant rather than over the flowers.

Flowering Season

In Northern Hemisphere gardens, blue lace flowers bloom from mid to late summer, often continuing into early fall. They do best where summers are warm but not scorching; in very hot, humid weather they may stop flowering early.

Care After Blooming

Snip off faded flower heads (this is called “deadheading”) to encourage the plant to make more blooms. Because the blue lace flower is an annual, it completes its life cycle in one season and will die back when frost arrives. If you leave a few flower heads to dry on the plant, you can collect the seeds to sow next year.

Blue Lace Flowers in a Vase

Photo by: Mark Marathon

Blue lace flowers are excellent cut flowers and can stay fresh in a vase for about a week. Their soft blue color mixes beautifully with roses, cosmos, and hydrangea in a summer bouquet.

• Cut stems in the cool of the morning, when flower heads are just starting to open.
• Put the stems straight into a bucket of water, then trim the ends at an angle before arranging.
• Remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline.
• Change the water every couple of days so the stems can keep drinking.

Bees, hoverflies, and butterflies also love the open flower heads, so leaving some blooms in the garden is a great way to help pollinators.

Blue lace flower FAQs