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Types of Carrots - there are two distinct categories of carrot in the modern world, the Cultivated Carrot (domesticated), which is detailed below, and the Wild Carrot which now has its own page. Click here to go there. 

The cultivated carrot is the second most popular vegetable in the world after the potato. When you read the nutrition pages you will see and agree why it should be number one. The health benefits of carrots are well established and cover a wide range in human health conditions. In general, carrots are important for healthy eyes, skin, hair, growth, and immune systems. They can lower cholesterol, prevent heart attacks, and help reduce the risk of certain types of cancers. Carrots are packed with nutrients. Botanical Description here.

In fact in England the carrot is Number One according to a survey carried out by the National Trust in 2002. Overall, 17% of the 2,031 people in the survey opted for the carrot. It came ahead of the potato (15%) and broccoli (13%) in a battle of the vegetable patch. Least favourites by those questioned were Brussels Sprouts, Parsnip, Swede and Turnip.

The carrot plant is cultivated across the world for its prized taproot. The plant is biennial and bears flowers during the second year of its life. However, in general, the whole plant is harvested prematurely when the root reaches about an inch in diameter, tender and juicy. Carrots vary widely in colour and shape depending on the cultivar types. The colours are shown in the photo below and shapes and typologies lower down, with more detail on a separate page in the museum here.

Daucus is a worldwide genus of herbaceous plants of the family Apiaceae of which the best-known species is the cultivated carrot. Daucus genus of Umbelliferae Apiaceae, has about 25 species.

The cultivated carrot, hybridised from the wild carrot, can be either an annual (mainly in tropical areas) or a biennial (mainly in temperate areas). It is an erect herb of 20-50 cm tall when mature, and 120-150 cm when flowering. The taproot is fleshy, straight, conical to cylindrical, 5-50 cm long and 2-5 cm in diameter at the top, and usually orange (other colours include: purple, yellow, or white). Daucus Carota is a complex species, botanically comprising both wild and cultivated carrots.

 All information within these pages refers to Daucus carota sativus, some of the varieties of which are described below. Other members of the carrot family include: Chervil, Celery. Celeriac, Arracacha, Fennel, Parsnip and Parsley.

There are two main types of cultivated carrots:

1. Eastern/Asiatic carrots - These are often called anthocyanin carrots because of their purple roots, although some have yellow roots. They have pubescent leaves giving them a grey-green colour and bolt easily. They have slightly dissected leaves, with branched roots and are an annual plant. The greatest diversity of these carrots is found in Afghanistan, Russia, Iran and India. These are the possible centres of domestication which took place around the 10th century. These types of carrot are still under cultivation in Asia, but are being rapidly replaced by orange rooted Western varieties.
(Purple carrots are making a comeback click here for details).

2. Western or Carotene Carrots - These have orange, red or white roots. It is most likely these carrots derived from the first group by selection among hybrid progenies of yellow Eastern carrots, white carrots and wild subspecies grown in the Mediterranean. the first two originated by mutation. These have strongly dissected leaves, the roots are un-branched and they have a bright green, sparsely hairy foliage and are biennial. These carrots may have originated in Turkey.

The western carrot is the by far the most popular carrot and can in turn be sub-divided into three groups:

1. Short-rooted varieties: These types mature more quickly and the first to be sown.
e.g.: Amsterdam Forcing, Tiana, Early French Frame, Early Nantes, Champion Scarlet Horn.
2. Medium-rooted varieties: The most common type of commercially grown carrots.
e.g.: Mokum; Flakkee; Autumn King; Chantenay Red Cored; Royal Chantenay.
3. Long-rooted varieties: These are usually grown in well-prepared and deep soils: e.g.: New Red Intermediate, Saint Valery.

Photo compliments of USDA Agricultural Research Service, where researchers have selectively bred carrots with pigments that reflect almost all colours of the rainbow. More importantly, though, they're very good for your health. Photo by Stephen Ausmus.

Different Typologies - The current World production is around 25 million tonnes for an area of about one million hectares. The main producers are China (1/3 of the world area), followed by Russia and North America. Today there are several hundred varieties in very typologies. (classification according to characteristics) The Nantes type is the most widely cultivated in the world (about 50% of volume); it has been adopted by markets demanding optimum quality roots, and its cultivation is increasing on the five continents. Chantenay are popular in South America, Flakee in Eastern Europe and Kurodo mainly produced in Asia. Imperator and longer carrot types are preferred in North America. (Source for facts and graphic - Vilmorin)

Common Varieties

Details of common varieties with links to photos are now on a separate page - click here.

Many types of carrots are available, varying according to the area and climate, and every year new varieties are brought out on the market by the multi-national seed companies. These companies try to find the perfect carrot for every market and climate.

Golf ball-type carrots (Thumbelina) and the slightly longer Chantenays are good for containers and heavy soils. Short carrots also mature faster, shaving two weeks off the time it takes to put them on the table.

Nantes, Imperator and Danvers (and Danvers Half Long) grow up to 7 inches long and are suitable for most other soils. If colour is an issue, Danvers Half Long and Royal Chantenay are bright orange, while Scarlet Nantes and Blaze (an Imperator) are deep orange, almost red.

Believe it or not - There is a carrot variety for every letter of the alphabet and just to prove it click here to see the full list.

The maroon Carrot has been re-discovered by Dr L Pike from Texas. Check out the full story here.
 

Some modern varieties from Nunhems

Here are some more examples

Dark orange, close to red at times.

A Nantes-type carrot that was developed in France for canning and pickling.

An excellent juicer and fine freezer type.

Becomes sweeter in storage.

Commercial Carrot Processing - the ultimate aim for the commercial growers is to achieve a final product which fits the market standards.

Most large commercial carrot producers have a highly sophisticated sorting system completed by machines and men/women! At the point of delivery from the fields the biggest rocks and waste are eliminated. (Numbers refer to photo below)

1. At all points in the process every attempt is made to avoid shocks to the roots which could cause damage to their appearance, stability and potential storage length. High falls between the chain of events are minimised to limit breakage.

2. Brushing is done by polishers to bring out the colours and the smoothness of the roots which do not show any more traces of dirt.

3. Hydrocooling is the decisive step. Roots are cooled down to the core in a few minutes.

4. Manual sorting is still necessary to enable the human eye to spot items which are split, spotted, broken, forked, rotten or sprouted.

5. Grading is an essential step and has become progressively more mechanised. Grading machines facilitate packaging of identical diameter roots.

6. Packaging is the final step before the carrots travel to market. Again more mechanised. The producers chance to include a marketing message to promote the products advantages, or to identify the respect of a protocol or seal of approval.

Important Note: A significant proportion of carrots are rejected during the washing and packing processes because of stringent quality requirements of supermarkets. For example the British Carrot Growers Association estimates that around 40% of carrot production is wasted between harvest and production, which makes it worthy of new research which is currently being undertaken by the Horticultural Development company, in the UK.

See Grimmway's massive carrot harvester in action here. (Youtube video)

How a typical carrot is processed to maximise use for human consumption

If you were to divide up a typical 8 and ½ inch carrot it would typically be processed in such a manner that only about the very top half inch goes to animal feed. This is at the crown end.  The point end quarter of the remaining carrot goes to making those tiny, baby carrots.  The central portions are processed either to make “standard” cut or peel baby carrots or sent for juice making.  The thickest part goes off to be processed into juice concentrate to be further sliced or diced into fresh pre-packs.

Part of the Carrot Museum 2008 crop (note very rare Spanish Black variety)

The shape varies from short stumps to tapering cones. Leaves are finely dissected, twice or thrice-pinnate, segments are linear to lanceolate, 0.5–3 cm long. Upper leaves are reduced, with a sheathing petiole. Stem is striate or ridged, glabrous to hispid, up to 1 m tall. Flowers are borne in compound, more or less globose, to 7-cmin- diameter umbels. Rays are numerous, bracts 1–2 pinnated, lobes linear, 7–10 bracteoles similar to bracts.

Flowers are white or yellowish; the outer are usually the largest. Sepals are minute or absent, there are five petals and stamens, ovary inferior with two cells and one ovule per cell, two styles. Fruits are oblong, with bristly hairs along ribs, 2–4 mm long.

The carrot is a member of the parsley family which includes about 2,500 species such as dill, caraway, cumin, chervil, coriander, fennel, anise, parsley, parsnip, and celery. It also includes poisonous species such a poison hemlock, water hemlock and fools parsley. The family includes ornamentals such as sea holly, masterwort and blue lace flower. The cultivated carrot belongs to the genus Daucus L. which contains many wild forms.

The carrot plant is indigenous to the maritime chalky soils of southern Europe but has spread widely, partly through reversion from cultivated plants. It still prefers the sea coast climate but is strong enough to be found almost anywhere. 

Carrots belong to the family Apiaceae which is characterised by having dissected leaves, umbellate inflorescences, and fruits that are schizocarps (which split into two mericarps).

Several hundred varieties of carrot exist with well over 50 different seeds generally available. The orange colour is due to a very high level of the yellow-orange plant pigment known (reasonably enough) as carotene. Although almost all plants contain this yellow pigment, the more conspicuous chlorophyll pigment (green) usually obscures it from view. When chlorophyll breaks down in autumn, or when a plant is suffering from poor nutrition, the underlying yellow carotene pigments of leaves become obvious.

A significant portion of fresh carrot production is used to produce fresh-cut products such as “baby carrots,” carrot coins, shreds, and sticks. Carrots directed or consigned to fresh-cut processing are typically harvested at an immature stage for optimal texture and taste. Fresh-cut carrots typically have a shelf-life of 3 to 4 weeks at 0 °C (32 °F) and 2 to 3 weeks at 3 to 5 ºC (37 to 41 °F).

 “White blush” has remained a problem for processors and shippers of fresh-cut carrots. The superficial whiteness is caused by dehydration of the cut surface (Cisneros-Zevallos et al., 1995). Low storage temperature and the presence of residual surface moisture significantly delays development of this disorder. Using sharp knives is important to reduce tissue damage and extend shelf-life (Barry-Ryan and O’Beirne, 1998).