Whether the Carrot is globular, long, yellow, orange, white, or purple-fleshed, remember that the consumable part of the plant is neither a bulb nor a stem.
Learn the exact appearance of the Carrot and understand its physiology from the article.
Overview of Carrot Plant
The Carrot, a native plant of Europe and Southwestern Asia, was first cultivated for its leaves and stems, but later the softwood root became the favorite of all.
Indicator | Identity |
---|---|
Scientific name | Daucus carota subsp. sativus |
Common name | Carrot |
Family | Apiaceae |
USDA zone | 3-10 |
Growing Seasons | Early Spring to Late Fall |
Nature | Biennial vegetable |
Bloom shape and color | Umbel shaped red to white or purple |
Flowering Periods | Late Winter to Spring |
Toxicity | Non-Toxic to Humans and Pets |
What Part of The Plant Is A Carrot? [Explained]
Do not let the lacy and colorful appearance of the Carrot confuse you about being a fruit, as the edible part of the plant is a root.
Moreover, the consumable part of the Carrot is a storehouse of glucose, fructose, and sucrose, which is responsible for the sweet and earthy flavor.
Also, many confuse Carrots with a stem, but the hard part at the connecting end of the leaves and root is the stem that extends out only during the inflorescence period.
And the green leafy fronds, the favorite of bunnies, extend out from the ground level to give clusters of umbilical blooms the following year for seed production.
Nevertheless, the roots also conduct all the storage and nutrient absorption functions for plant growth and you can easily harvest them by hand-pulling the fronds.
From Editorial Team
Extra Info!
The modified roots of Carrot store all the nutrients in the first year of growth so that they can utilize the energy in the following year to flower and produce seeds.
You can harvest the edible roots before they enter the next year to fill our diets with minerals, vitamin K, and vitamin B6.