Daucus

( DAW - kuss )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus is famous for its widely cultivated species, Daucus carota, commonly called Carrot. Plants in this genus are biennials, but they often behave as short-lived perennials and are treated in edible gardens as annuals. They typically form a rosette of foliage in the first year, and a flowering stalk in the second year. Flowers are small, held in umbelliform inflorescences. They can be white, red, or pink, and will attract pollinators to the garden. Use these flowering plants as filler in mixed beds and borders, for compacted soil remediation, or as members of edible gardens.

Daucus Species and Varietals

The genus Daucus is a member of the plant family Apiaceae, and includes around 75 distinct species. These plants grow well in USDA hardiness zones 2-11. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Daucus broteri (Brotero's Carrot, Carrot)
This wild carrot species is native to the northeastern area of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It is widely cultivated in this range as a root vegetable, and forms disc-shaped bunches of flowers from April through August. It forms a single, long taproot that is harvested similarly to that of Daucus carota, or the Wild Carrot.

Daucus carota (Wild Carrot, European Wild Carrot, Bird's Nest, Bishop's Lace, Queen Anne's Lace, Carrot)
This species has a worldwide distribution, and forms a herbaceous plant that can reach up to 4 feet tall. Leaves are finely divided and lacy. Flowers are small and white, sometimes with red or purple centers, held in dense umbels. Subspecies Daucus carota sativus is the common Carrot, and is very widely cultivated. The straight species has a white, small, tough root that is not commonly cultivated as a crop plant. Varieties of the cultivated Carrot are grouped into two broad categories, Eastern and Western. Eastern Carrots were domesticated in Persia and commonly have purple or yellow roots that are typically branched. Western Carrots were domesticated in the Netherlands, and include Chantenay, Danvers, Imperator, and Nantes types.

'Chantenay'
With shorter but girthier roots. Broad on top and tapering towards the bottom. Store well, have a pale core, and are mostly used for processing.

'Danvers'
With long, conical roots. Tolerant of heavy soil conditions, used both fresh and in processing.

'Imperator'
High in sugar content, with long slender roots. Commercial cultivation type.

'Nantes'
Cylindrical roots with a blunt tip. High yielding in a range of conditions. High in sugar, do not store as well as others.

Cultivars of Daucus carota sativus (the Common Carrot) are listed and described below:

'Adelaide'
A Dutch hybrid to 3.5 inches. Bright orange, coreless. 65 DTM.

'Amarillo'
Heirloom variety with large-shouldered lemon-yellow 8-inch roots. 75 DTM.

'Atomic Red'
Coral-red 9 inch roots that deepen in color when cooked. 70 DTM.

'Autumn King'
Large roots that store well in the ground. 70-90 DTM.

'Babette'
Nantes-type hybrid baby carrots 3-4 in., or can reach full size. 70 DTM.

'Belgian White'
Heirloom 8-12 inch white carrot with mild flavor. 75 DTM.

'Berlicum 2'
Long, tapered deep orange roots. 75 DTM.

'Bolero'
Nantes hybrid. 7-8 inch orange roots good for juicing. Disease resistant. 56-75 DTM.

'Canada Gold'
Imperator x Nantes hybrid, 8-10 inch roots. 75 DTM.

'Cellobunch'
9-11 inch early harvested roots. Alternaria resistant. 61 DTM.

'Cosmic Purple'
6-7 inch deep purple roots with orange interior. Sweet, spicy flavor. 70 DTM.

'Danvers 126'
Imperator type, 7.5 inch roots with large tops. 65-75 DTM.

'Danvers Half Long'
6-8 inch orange-red roots. Does well in heavy soils. 75 DTM.

'Deep Purple'
7-8 inch tapered purple roots. Color fades when cooked. 73 DTM.

'Dragon'
Red-purple roots with bright yellow-orange cores. 65-90 DTM.

'Envy'
10-12 inch long, very uniform orange roots. Imperator type. 66 DTM.

'Flakkee'
Conical orange roots good for heavy soils. 70-85 DTM.

'Fuerte'
Nantes type orange carrot with excellent flavor. Productive. 65-70 DTM.

'Goldfinger F1'
Nantes-type carrot to 7-8 inches long. Bright orange. 69-80 DTM.

'Hercules'
Cone-shaped orange roots 6.5-7 inches long. Stores well. Good in shallow, heavy, rocky soils. 65 DTM.

'Ingot'
Nantes hybrid with 7-8 inch orange roots. High beta carotene content. 67 DTM.

'Jaune du Doubs'
French heirloom with conical 8-inch golden roots. Stores well. 78 DTM.

'Juwarot'
Nantes-type, nutritious roots good for juicing and fresh eating. 70-75 DTM.

'Kaleidoscope'
A blend of four varieties. 8-inch multicolored roots. 75-80 DTM.

'King Midas'
Nearly coreless Imperator hybrid. Orange 8-9 in. roots. 68-75 DTM.

'Kuroda'
Late-season 5-8 inch cylindrical roots. Good for juice. 90 DTM.

'Kyoto Red'
Japanese Kintoki type carrot with deep scarlet roots. Good for juice. 120 DTM.

'Little Finger'
3.5-inch orange roots with small cores. 60-65 DTM.

'Longue Rouge Sang'
French heirloom variety, half-long conical carrot. Keeps colors after cooking. 120-150 DTM.

'Lunar White'
Creamy-white mild-flavored, small-cored roots. 60-80 DTM.

'Merida'
Overwintering carrot (plant in fall for spring harvest). Orange 7-8 inch roots. 240 DTM.

'Mokum'
Nantes hybrid 6-inch small cored rots with high sugar content. 48-54 DTM.

'Nantes Coreless'
6-8 inch nearly coreless brilliant orange roots. 65-75 DTM.

'Nantes Fancy'
Nantes-type orange carrot with 7 inch roots. 68 DTM.

'Nantes Half Long'
7-inch cylindrical, slim orange roots. Nearly coreless. 70 DTM.

'Napoli'
Nantes hybrid. 7-8 inch slightly tapered orange roots. 55-66 DTM.

'Negovia'
Main-season hybrid. 7.5-8 inch roots. 69 DTM.

'Neptune'
Imperator hybrid 8-10 inch orange roots. Good for storage. 65 DTM.

'New Kuroda'
Sub-tropical Asian variety. 6-inch deep orange, sweet roots. 110 DTM.

'Nutri-Red'
9 inch roots turn deep red when cooked. 76 DTM.

'Oxheart'
French heirloom produces 4-5 in. broad-shouldered roots. Thrives in heavy soils. Stores well. 65-90 DTM.

'Paris Market'
French heirloom, round orange-red roots 1-2 inches in diameter. Good for containers. 65 DTM.

'Purple 68'
F1 hybrid with 6-10 in. purple roots with purple interior. 75-85 DTM.

'Purple Haze'
Imperator-type purple carrot to 10-12 inches. Orange center; loses purple color when cooked. 70 DTM.

'Purple Star'
Intense purple exterior, orange interior. 68 DTM.

'Rainbow'
Multicolored mix with 8-10 inch roots. 67 DTM.

'Red Cored Chantenay'
Heirloom Chantenay-type with 5-7 inch gold-orange roots. 70-75 DTM.

'Resistafly'
Nantes type with carrot fly resistance. Baby carrots harvested at 4 in. 70 DTM.

'Rodelika'
European juicing variety carrot. 6-8 inch orange roots. 72 DTM.

'Rotild' ('Rothild')
German storage carrot. 8-10 inch orange roots. 70-80 DTM.

'Round Romeo'
Petite, ball-shaped orange carrots. 60 DTM.

'Royal Chantenay'
Blocky roots with little taper. Good for shallow, heavy soils. 60-70 DTM.

'Scarlet Nantes'
6-8 inch orange roots with weak tops. Heirloom from France, uniform with crisp texture. 68-75 DTM.

'Short n' Sweet'
With bright orange, 4-inch long roots. 68 DTM.

'Snow White'
Open-pollinated with pure white roots with pale green shoulders. 8 inches or less. 75 DTM.

'St. Valery'
French heirloom with 8-10 inch roots. 70-90 DTM.

'Sugarsnax 54'
Imperator hybrid with 9-inch tapered roots. Resists bolting. 68 DTM.

'Sunshine Mix'
Orange and yellow 8-inch roots. 88 DTM.

'Tendersweet'
8-inch orange roots that are nearly coreless. 75 DTM.

'Thumbelina'
Paris Market type with bright orange rounded roots. 52-65 DTM.

'Tonda di Parigi'
Round, Parisian heirloom. 1.5-inch orange roots. 55 DTM.

'Touchon'
Heirloom French Nantes type with 6-8 inch roots that store well. 65-70 DTM.

'White Satin'
8-inch straight, smooth cream-white roots with green shoulders. 65-70 DTM.

'Yellowstone'
Imperator hybrid with yellow 8-9 inch roots. 72-85 DTM.

Daucus glochidiatus (Australian Carrot, Caustral Carrot, Native Carrot)
This species of herbaceous plants is native to Australia and New Zealand. They reach up to about a foot tall, and produce feathery green foliage and white flowers. It can tolerate a variety of soil types.

Daucus pusillus (American Wild Carrot, Rattle-Snake-Weed)
These plants are similar in appearance to most others in the genus, with divided green leaves and white flowers. The taproots produced by this species are small but edible, and are sometimes cultivated as a root vegetable.

Caring for Daucus

It is recommended to direct-sow Carrots instead of starting them indoors; due to their long taproot which forms relatively early in their lives, they do not transplant well. Sow seeds 1/4 inch under the soil surface about 1 inch apart. Once seedlings emerge (after 14 days), seedlings can be thinned to 2-3 inches apart for optimal root development. Space rows about a foot apart. Choose a space in the landscape that receives full sun; ideally, they appreciate between 6 and 8 hours of sun each day for the best blooms. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 6.0 and 6.5 (slightly acidic). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Make sure to clear the planting area of any large rocks or hardpan layers, as well, as these can negatively affect root growth. If local soils are overly clayey or poor, grow Carrots in raised beds or containers. Keep soil moist while seeds are germinating and while seedlings are becoming established (water daily). Carrots typically require consistent moisture throughout their development, needing about 1-2 inches of water per week to develop deep, straight roots and avoid cracking. As a general rule of thumb, deep water 1-2 times per week once plants are established.

Avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers or amendments, which will encourage more above-ground foliage growth than root growth, and can also cause root deformities. If soil is particularly poor, amend soil before planting with plenty of compost, or grow in raised beds with new soil. Carrot plants do not need to be pruned. Daucus plants are biennial, producing foliage in their first year and flowers in their second. High heat towards the end of their first growing season can cause them to bolt (produce flowers), which transfers energy from the root system to flower creation. If warm weather is an issue, consider using a shade cloth over the planting area to keep temperatures down or harvest early. In areas known for warmer weather, choose a variety that is early-producing (lower DTM). Carrot plants are treated as annuals, typically pulled at the end of the season and replaced in the next. If you will be collecting and storing seeds, make sure to leave some plants in the ground into their second season so they can develop mature seed heads.

Caring for Daucus in Containers
Carrot plants can be grown directly in the ground or cultivated in raised beds or containers. Daucus varieties that produce stout roots, such as 'Oxheart', 'Paris Market', 'Round Romeo', 'Thumbelina', or 'Tonda di Parigi' are perfect for container growing, though as long as containers are deep enough to accommodate the root depth of the chosen variety, they will grow well. Choose a large container that is at least 10 inches deep for most smaller varieties and ensure that there are adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow excess water to flow away from the root zone. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with soil and perlite. Top the soil with a layer of mulch to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and increase soil moisture retention. Water daily as seedlings become established, and then lessen waterings. Carrots grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than their in-ground counterparts. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top inch or two of soil feels dry to the touch.

Harvesting Daucus
Daucus plants are typically harvested for their sweet, nutritious, edible roots. Their tops are edible, as well, and can be harvested as cut-and-come-again greens or simply used at the time of root harvesting. Different varieties will have differing days to maturity; make sure to pay attention to this information. If Carrot roots are left in the soil for too long, they become tough, woody, and cracked. Carrot roots can be harvested early, though they may not have the same flavor profile, size, or color as they would at full maturity. They are typically ready to be harvested when their greens are tall and beginning to flop over a bit. Shoulders (the top of the root) will push out of the soil when roots are ready for harvesting. To harvest, grasp the carrot greens close to the root and wiggle the carrot loose from the soil. If the soil is not giving, it can be loosened with a trowel by working in from the outside of the planting area. Pull the carrots out of the ground, and then shake them off to remove excess dirt and debris.

Bring the roots indoors and rinse them off. Remove the tops, leaving about a half inch to an inch of greens on top for short-term storage. They can be used fresh within a week of harvesting if kept in a cool space like a refrigerator. If the roots become dehydrated, they will be limp and texture will suffer. To rehydrate roots, simply place them in cold water in the fridge for a few hours. To store Carrots long-term, they can be frozen. Peel and chop carrots and blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Then, drop them in an ice bath for 2 minutes. Lay the pieces out on a sheet pan and freeze them (this will discourage them from freezing into one giant clump). The pieces, once frozen, can be placed in a freezer bag and stored in the ice box for up to a year. Frozen carrots are best used for cooking in soups and stews, not for eating fresh.

Disclaimer: Information contained on this website is strictly and categorically intended as a reference to be used in conjunction with experts in your area. Foraging and consumption of plant parts should never begin without the guidance and approval of a local plant specialist. The providers of this website accept no liability for the use or misuse of information contained in this website.