Western carrots

Cultivar of Daucus carota subsp. sativus

Food, Plant source foods, Flowering plats (angiospermae), Mesangiosperms, Eudicots, Core eudicots, Superastierds, Asterids, Campanulids (Euasterids II), Apiales, Apiaceae, Carrots

Subspecies name: Daucus carota subsp. sativus

Consumption area(s): We were unable to find reliable data regarding the distribution of this product, but it is likely that its distribution is concentrated in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zeland.

Note: For better understanding, please read the article on flowering plants (angiospermae) first. If you come across unfamiliar words, you can click on any highlighted term to open the glossary with definitions of key botanical terms.

Introduction

Western carrots are a major group of cultivated carrots (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), the domesticated form of the wild carrot species. They are predominantly grown for their thick, fleshy taproots and are the most common type of carrot found in markets throughout Europe, the North America and many other parts of the world. Although carrots occur in a variety of colours, including white, yellow, red and purple, orange‑pigmented Western carrots are the most widespread due to their nutritional value and adaptability.

Description of Western carrots

Western carrots are characterized by their unbranched, elongated taproots the colour of which is typically due to high concentrations of β‑carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. Their roots may vary in shade from deep orange to red, yellow or white in some cultivars, but the orange colour remains predominant in commercial production. The foliage of Western types tends to be bright green and finely dissected, and the plants are usually grown as annuals for their root crops.

These carrots generally have uniform, smooth taproots with high sugar content, traits that have been developed through centuries of selective breeding. Western carrots are widely cultivated for fresh consumption as well as processing (e.g., canning and juicing).

History of Western carrots

Carrots originated from the wild ancestor Daucus carota, which is native to temperate regions of Europe and Western Asia. Domestication of the carrot began in Central Asia, likely in the area of modern‑day Iran and Afghanistan, where early cultivated forms appeared possibly as early as the 10th century CE. These early carrots were often purple or yellow and sometimes branched, and were initially grown for leaves and seeds rather than the root.

Over time, cultivated carrots spread westward. The distinct Western carrot type emerged in Europe, most likely in the Netherlands during the 16th–17th centuries, through selection from earlier domesticated stock. Although there is a popular tradition that the orange carrot was developed to honour the Dutch House of Orange, historical evidence for this specific motivation is limited and debated. Regardless of the precise cause, orange carrots came to dominate European cultivation and eventually spread worldwide due to their desirable agronomic and nutritional traits.

Classification of Western carrots

Western carrot cultivars are typically categorized according to the shape of their roots, with four main types commonly recognized:

• Chantenay carrot
• Danvers carrot
• Imperator carrot
• Nantes carrot

Nutritional facts table of the root

Since nutritional values can vary slightly depending on the cultivar, the figures provided below represent general averages.

Recipes that use this product as an ingredient:

Cioncia 🇮🇹

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot