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Daucus

Common name: Carrot · Wild carrot · Queen Anne's lace

Daucus A genus of around 40 species of flowering plants in the carrot family, Apiaceae, mostly native to Europe, North Africa, and Asia. The best-known species is Daucus carota, which appears in two guises: the wild form known as Queen Anne's lace, a familiar roadside biennial with lacy white flower heads, and the cultivated carrot grown worldwide for its sweet orange taproot. Carrots are biennials, storing energy in the root in their first year and flowering in their second if left in the ground.

Care summary

Sun Full sun to light shade
Water Consistent moisture, especially during germination
Soil Deep, loose, stone-free sandy loam, pH 6.0–6.8
Hardiness
Mature height
Pet safe

Fun facts

  • Orange carrots are a relatively recent invention, popularized by Dutch growers in the 17th century.
  • The idea that carrots give you night vision was British wartime propaganda meant to hide radar technology.
  • Carrots left in the ground over winter produce a flat-topped flower umbel — Queen Anne's lace — in their second year.
  • The orange color comes from beta-carotene, which the body converts into vitamin A.

Common problems

    • Cover beds with fine insect mesh
    • Sow thinly to avoid thinning seedlings
    • Delay sowing until early summer
    • Grow in loose, stone-free soil
    • Work in sharp sand before sowing
    • Avoid fresh manure before planting
    • Water deeply and consistently in drought
    • Mulch to keep soil evenly moist
    • Choose bolt-resistant varieties