Explore Daucus carota (Wild Carrot) - its characteristics, habitat, cultivation, propagation, and functional uses and benefits.
Daucus carota | Botanical Characteristics
Common Names: Wild Carrot, Queen Anne's Lace
Family: Apiaceae
Appearance: Biennial plant with finely divided, feathery leaves and a taproot. It produces an umbel of small white flowers with a characteristic purple spot in the center.
Type: Biennial
Evergreen / Deciduous: N/A
Layer: Herb
Root System: Features a long, thick taproot
Height: Up to 1 meter
Width: Approximately 0.5 meters
Lifespan: 2 years (biennial)
Growth Rate: Moderate
Fertility: Self-fertile
Flowers: Hermaphroditic
Pollinator: Attracts various pollinators including bees and butterflies
Toxicity: Edible when young, but caution as the plant resembles poisonous hemlock
Daucus carota | Habitat and Cultivation
Range
Native Range: Europe and Southwest Asia
Companionship: Often found with grasses and other meadow plants
Invasive Range: Naturalized in many parts of North America
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 - 10
Minimum Chill Hours Required: None specified
Resistance/Tolerance
Poor Soil: High tolerance
Drought: Moderate tolerance
Shade: Low tolerance
Flood: Low tolerance
Wind: High tolerance
Maritime: Moderate tolerance
Air Pollution: High tolerance
Fire: Low tolerance
Thriving Conditions
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Soil Moisture: Prefers moderately moist conditions
Soil Type: Prefers well-drained sandy or loamy soils
Soil PH: Prefers slightly acidic to neutral (6.0 - 7.5)
Propagation
Seeds: Propagated by seeds, often self-seeding in the wild
Cuttings: Not typically propagated by cuttings
Daucus carota | Functional Uses and Benefits
Edible: The young roots are edible, though they are more fibrous than cultivated carrots. The leaves can also be used in small amounts.
Medicinal: Traditionally used to support digestion and as a diuretic
Cosmetics: Not typically used in cosmetics
Animal Feed: Occasionally grazed by livestock
Fiber: Not used for fiber
Timber: Not used for timber
Firewood: Not used as firewood
Wind Break: Not used as a windbreak
Fence: Not used as a barrier plant
Cover Crop: Not used as a cover crop
Mulch: Not typically used as mulch
Nitrogen Fixer: No
Dynamic Accumulator: No significant data available
Pollinator Attractor: Yes, attracts bees, butterflies, and other insects
Pest Repellent: Not typically known as a pest repellent
Wildlife Supporter: Provides nectar for pollinators and seeds for birds
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