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Daucus carota sativus

Common name:	Carrot	Family:	Umbelliferae
Author:	(Hoffm.)Arcang.	Botanical references:	200
Synonyms:
Known Hazards:	Carrots sometimes cause allergic reactions in some people[46]. Skin contact with the sap is said to cause photo-sensitivity and/or dermatitis in some people[218].
Range:	A cultivated form of D. carota.
Habitat:	Not known in the wild.
Edibility Rating (1-5):	4	Medicinal Rating (1-5):	3

Other Possible Synonyms:	From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below.
	D. carota sativa[HORTIPLEX] D. carota ssp. sativus[P] D. carota subsp. sativus[G,H] D. carota var. sativus[G]
Other Common Names:	From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below.
	Carrot [H,L,P], Wortel [D],
Epithets:	From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
	carota = carrot; sativus = cultivated;
Systematics:	From a USDA Plants Database
	Order: Apiales. Renamed to Apiaceae -- Carrot family

Physical Characteristics

Biennial growing to 1.2m by 0.3m . It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Flies and beetles. The plant is self-fertile. We rate it 4/5 for edibility and 3/5 for medicinal use.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Habitats and Possible Locations

Cultivated Beds.

Edible Uses

Coffee; Colouring; Condiment; Leaves; Root.

Root - raw or cooked[2, 7, 27]. The roots of well-grown plants are crisp, sweet and juicy, they are very nice raw and are also cooked as a vegetable or added to soups, stews etc[K]. The grated root is a tasty addition to the salad bowl[K]. The juice can be extracted from the root and used as a health-promoting drink[46]. The root is very rich in carotene, which is transformed by the body into vitamin A when it is eaten[7]. The root is sometimes ground into a powder and used in making cakes, bread etc[7, K].
The roasted root is a coffee substitute[21, 46].
Carotin, extracted from the roots, is used as an orange-yellow food dye[171].
Leaves - raw or cooked. A very strong flavour, they can be added in small quantities to mixed salads[K]. The leaves contain an oil that is rich in vitamin E, they are sometimes used as a flavouring in soups[7].
An essential oil from the seed is used as a food flavouring.

Medicinal Uses

Disclaimer

Anthelmintic; Carminative; Deobstruent; Diuretic; Galactogogue; Ophthalmic; Stimulant.

Cultivated carrot roots are a rich source of beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A by the liver[254]. When used as a regular item in the diet the roots improve eyesight and skin health, and also have anti-cancer effects[238]. A wonderful cleansing medicine, it supports the liver and stimulates urine flow and the removal of waste by the kidneys[254].
The root is diuretic and ophthalmic[7]. The juice of organic carrots is a delicious drink and a valuable detoxifier[254]. The raw root, grated or mashed, is a safe treatment for threadworms, especially in children[254].
The seed is carminative, galactogogue, lithontripic and stimulant[7, 240]. They are useful in the treatment of kidney diseases, dropsy and to settle the digestive system[240, 254]. They stimulate menstruation and have been used in folk medicine as a treatment for hangovers[254].

Other Uses

Alcohol; Dye; Essential.

The roots are fermented in order to produce alcohol[7].
An orange dye is obtained from the root[171].
An essential oil from the seed has a distinctive fragrance and is used in perfumery[7, 46].

Cultivation details

Prefers a good light warm well-drained soil and plenty of moisture[16, 27, 37, 200]. Prefers a sandy or calcareous loam[132]. Plants are extremely sensitive to soil conditions, good roots can only be produced in a soil that permits easy penetration of the root[200]. Carrots are reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of 31 to 410cm, an annual temperature range of 3.6 to 28.5°C and a pH of 4.2 to 8.7[269]. They prefer a pH in the range 6.5 to 7.5[200].
Carrots are widely cultivated in most areas of the world for their edible root, which can be available all year round from successional sowings[46]. There are many named varieties, with roots varying in size and shape from short and round to long and tapering[183, 200]. World-wide, the yields of roots averages about 24 tonnes per hectare, the world low production yield was 3,125 kg/ha in Zaire, whilst the world high production yield was 62,889 kg/ha in Belgium-Luxembourg[269].
Plants grow best at a mean temperature of 16 - 18°c. At temperatures above 28°c top growth is reduced and the roots become very strongly flavoured. At temperatures below 16°c the roots become long and tapered and are pale in colour[200]. The leaves are moderately susceptible to frost but the roots are much hardier and can safely be left in the ground in the winter in most areas[200], so long as pests such as slugs or root fly are not a problem[K]. If dug up for storage, the roots can be kept for up to six months at 0 - 1°c and high relative humidity[200].
Carrots are very susceptible to a number of pests and diseases. The young seedlings are adored by slugs and so will generally need some protection. Carrot root fly is also a major problem. This creature lays its eggs near the young carrots. When they hatch, the larvae burrow into the soil and then eat their way into the root. In bad seasons almost all the crop can be heavily damaged. It is possible to reduce this damage by timing seed sowing to try and avoid the worst times of infestation, a June sowing of a fast-maturing cultivar will often be successful. There are also various companion plants that can help to reduce infestation. In general, these are strong-smelling plants such as garlic, onions and various aromatic plants such as wormwood. The idea is that these plants will mask the smell of the carrots and therefore the fly, which mainly uses scent to find the plants, will not be able to detect the smell of the carrots This method is most likely to fail when the fly comes close enough to the plants to see them and then no longer relies on scent. The most successful organic solution to date has been to erect barriers of clear polythene about 1 metre tall all around the bed of carrots. Since the fly generally flies below this height, it has proved to be quite effective, although any fly that does get in will then tend to stay inside the barrier and lay all of its eggs there.
About 95% of carrot flowers are pollinated by insects, with the remaining 5% self-pollinating[269].
Carrots grow well with lettuce and chives[18] but dislike dill[20]. They also grow badly with potatoes, kohl rabi, fennel and cabbages[201].

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ in succession from early spring to early summer. Do not transplant the seedlings, since this will usually cause damage to the roots and a good crop will not be obtained. Carrot seed needs a well-made seed bed with a fine tilth if good germination is to be achieved. The earliest sowings can be made of an early maturing variety in a cold frame or greenhouse in January or February, this will provide edible roots in late spring. The first outdoor sowings are made as the soil warms up in the spring. Successional sowings can be made until early summer if required. A September sowing in mild areas can provide an early spring supply of young roots, though the plants will often require some protection.

Scent

Seed:: No details on scent.

Cultivars

'': There are many named varieties of this annual vegetable, with new forms being developed each year. At present there is not time to enter these in the database and it is recommended that you consult the book 'The Fruit and Vegetable Finder' which is updated regularly and can be obtained from libraries.

Suppliers

For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.

Web References

Latin and Worldwide Common Names From Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database by M. H. Porcher et. al. 1995 - 2000 Landcare Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Crop Production,Institute of Land and Food Resources, The University of Melbourne, Australia.

References for Daucus carota sativa (a possible synonym).

[HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database

References for Daucus carota ssp. sativus (a possible synonym).

[P] Data. (uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.

References for Daucus carota subsp. sativus (a possible synonym).

[H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
[G] Data (Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.

See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.

Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.

References

[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.

[2] Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.

[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.

[16] Simons. New Vegetable Growers Handbook. Penguin 1977 ISBN 0-14-046-050-0
A good guide to growing vegetables in temperate areas, not entirely organic.

[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.

[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.

[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.

[27] Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden. Ten Speed Press ISBN 0-89815-041-8
A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.

[37] Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant. Blackie and Son. 1878
Excellent general but extensive guide to gardening practices in the 19th century. A very good section on fruits and vegetables with many little known species.

[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.

[132] Bianchini. F., Corbetta. F. and Pistoia. M. Fruits of the Earth.
Lovely pictures, a very readable book.

[171] Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952
Not very comprehensive, but it is quite readable and goes into some a bit of detail about the plants it does cover.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[201] Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting. Cassell Publishers Ltd. 1993 ISBN 0-304-34324-2
A well produced and very readable book.

[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.

[245] Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.

[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

[269] Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983
Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of plants.

Readers Comments

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