Daucus carota

L.

Wild Carrot

GNRUnranked Found in 158 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
GNRUnrankedGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.141876
Element CodePDAPI0X010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderApiales
FamilyApiaceae
GenusDaucus
Other Common Names
Carotte sauvage (FR) Queen Anne's lace (EN) Queen Anne's-lace (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Review Date1994-03-22
Change Date1994-03-22
Edition Date1987-08-28
Edition AuthorsNancy Eckardt
Range Extent Comments
Introduced and naturalized from Europe, Daucus carota inhabits dry fields and waste places at low altitudes throughout the northern United State from Vermont to Virginia west to Washington and California and north into Canada (Fernald 1951).
Threat Impact Comments
Daucus carota populations have a large proportion of annuals under favorable conditions and low density. At high densities intraspecific competition causes plants to become less vigorous, flower late, and set fewer seeds. Flowering may be delayed to a third or fourth season if conditions are unfavorable (Dale 1974). Attacks by the nymphal stage of the plant bug, Lygus spp., on the seed destroys the seed embryo. Roots are eaten by carrot rust fly larvae (Psila rosae), and lesion nematode adults and larvae (Protyleachus spp.), and the root knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.). The aster yellow fungus, a mycoplasm transmitted mainly by leaf hoppers (Macrostelos) can damage 25-90% of a wild carrot patch (Dale 1974).
Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

A similar umbellifer, Carum carvi (caraway), is distinguished from D. carota by small umbellets that are separate from each other; inconspicuous, narrow bracts below the umbel; ribbed seeds without bristles that give the odor of caraway when crushed; and glabrous leaves and flower stalks.

Habitat

It is often found on calcareous soil, but not restricted to it. It apparently prefers fine-particled soil and a high nutrient status, but endures a wide range of conditions (Dale 1974). Ahrenhoerster (pers. comm.) suggested that it may be more persistent on heavy soils with a good clay content. Gross and Werner (1982) stated that D. carota normally does not occur on newly abandoned fields because seeds do not survive for more than 1-2 years and are not often present in a newly disturbed area. Once dispersed to an area, the seedlings can emerge and survive in several types of ground cover, including those with thick vegetation. It is commonly found in fields 4-7 years after abandonment (Gross and Werner 1982).

Reproduction

The following comes from Dale (1974). Daucus carota is protandrous; on an individual flower, the gynoecium (egg) is still immature when the pollen is released. Long filaments can facilitate self-fertilization of adjacent flowers when insect pollination fails. Seeds of the terminal, primary umbel mature first, are largest, have the highest viability, and have two to three times the number of seeds as do subsequent umbels. The umbel dries as it matures and breaks open, scattering the seeds. Flowers appear from May through October, and seeds mature and are released from mid-summer to mid-winter. The seeds have barbs, which promote dispersal by animals and wind (Gross and Werner 1982). There is no evidence for vegetative reproduction.
Other Nations (2)
CanadaNNA
ProvinceRankNative
SaskatchewanSNANo
QuebecSNANo
AlbertaSNANo
OntarioSNANo
LabradorSNANo
Prince Edward IslandSNANo
New BrunswickSNANo
ManitobaSNANo
British ColumbiaSNANo
Nova ScotiaSNANo
Island of NewfoundlandSNANo
United StatesNNA
ProvinceRankNative
MichiganSNANo
ArizonaSNANo
District of ColumbiaSNANo
NebraskaSNANo
ArkansasSNANo
OklahomaSNANo
New MexicoSNANo
KentuckySNANo
MaineSNANo
CaliforniaSNANo
South CarolinaSNANo
IowaSNANo
WyomingSNANo
IndianaSNANo
ColoradoSNANo
WisconsinSNANo
MarylandSNANo
NevadaSNANo
New YorkSNANo
MinnesotaSNANo
North CarolinaSNANo
WashingtonSNANo
IdahoSNANo
GeorgiaSNANo
TexasSNANo
North DakotaSNANo
New HampshireSNANo
OregonSNANo
Rhode IslandSNANo
West VirginiaSNANo
MissouriSNANo
New JerseySNANo
UtahSNANo
MassachusettsSNANo
VirginiaSNANo
South DakotaSNANo
VermontSNANo
ConnecticutSNANo
PennsylvaniaSNANo
MontanaSNANo
AlabamaSNANo
DelawareSNANo
KansasSNANo
FloridaSNANo
TennesseeSNANo
MississippiSNANo
LouisianaSNANo
OhioSNANo
IllinoisSNANo
Plant Characteristics
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (158)
Alabama (1)
AreaForestAcres
Blue MountainTalladega National Forest4,986
Arizona (1)
AreaForestAcres
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
Arkansas (3)
AreaForestAcres
Dismal CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest9,160
East ForkOzark-St. Francis National Forest13,037
Gee CreekOzark-St. Francis National Forest7,957
California (19)
AreaForestAcres
Black Mtn.Sequoia National Forest15,102
Cow CreekShasta-Trinity National Forest22,627
Coyote SoutheastInyo National Forest53,159
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
EagleShasta-Trinity National Forest6,553
East GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest27,894
Grizzly PeakPlumas National Forest6,222
Lake EleanorShasta-Trinity National Forest397
Little French CShasta-Trinity National Forest11,529
Monkey CreekSix Rivers National Forest9,017
Onion SpringsLassen National Forest2,421
Orleans Mtn. BSix Rivers National Forest17,183
PaiuteInyo National Forest58,712
PantherShasta-Trinity National Forest12,016
PattisonShasta-Trinity National Forest29,299
Pilot CreekSix Rivers National Forest9,192
SiskiyouKlamath National Forest54,039
Siskiyou BSix Rivers National Forest18,871
West GirardShasta-Trinity National Forest37,516
Georgia (5)
AreaForestAcres
Helton CreekChattahoochee National Forest2,348
Kelly RidgeChattahoochee National Forest8,325
Lance CreekChattahoochee National Forest9,025
Pink KnobChattahoochee National Forest12,127
Rocky MountainChattahoochee National Forest4,269
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekCaribou-Targhee National Forest118,582
Illinois (1)
AreaForestAcres
Burke BranchShawnee National Forest6,231
Maine (1)
AreaForestAcres
Caribou - Speckled ExtWhite Mountain National Forest5,988
Michigan (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear SwampHuron-Manistee National Forest3,915
Minnesota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Wood LakeSuperior National Forest596
Missouri (1)
AreaForestAcres
Swan Creek Rare II Study AreaMark Twain National Forest7,310
Montana (2)
AreaForestAcres
Government Mountain #673Kootenai National Forest10,090
Scotchman Peaks (MT)Kootenai National Forest53,909
New Hampshire (5)
AreaForestAcres
Dartmouth RangeWhite Mountain National Forest9,233
KearsargeWhite Mountain National Forest4,554
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Presidential - Dry River ExtWhite Mountain National Forest10,555
Sandwich RangeWhite Mountain National Forest16,797
New Mexico (4)
AreaForestAcres
Guaje CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,104
Ortega PeakLincoln National Forest11,545
RendijaSanta Fe National Forest2,176
West Face Sacramento MountainsLincoln National Forest41,176
North Carolina (15)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainPisgah National Forest11,085
Balsam ConePisgah National Forest10,591
Craggy MountainPisgah National Forest2,657
Graveyard Ridge (addition)Pisgah National Forest1,958
Harper CreekPisgah National Forest7,325
Laurel MountainPisgah National Forest5,683
Lost CovePisgah National Forest5,944
Overflow CreekNantahala National Forest3,379
Sam Knob (addition)Pisgah National Forest2,576
Slide HollowPisgah National Forest193
South Mills RiverPisgah National Forest8,588
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
Wesser BaldNantahala National Forest4,061
Wilson CreekPisgah National Forest4,863
Woods MountainPisgah National Forest9,602
Oregon (27)
AreaForestAcres
Bull Of The WoodsMt. Hood National Forest8,843
CornpatchWillamette National Forest7,346
Cougar BluffUmpqua National Forest5,574
Drift CreekSiuslaw National Forest6,333
EagleMt. Hood National Forest16,841
ElkhornWillamette National Forest9,380
FairviewUmpqua National Forest7,417
French Pete (a)Willamette National Forest1,668
Gordon MeadowsWillamette National Forest9,463
HellholeUmatilla National Forest65,679
LarchMt. Hood National Forest12,961
Limpy RockUmpqua National Forest6,782
Mclennon MountainWillamette National Forest8,085
Menagerie (rooster Rock)Willamette National Forest374
Mt. HagenWillamette National Forest6,406
North KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests91,560
Roaring RiverMt. Hood National Forest27,316
Salmon - HuckleberryMt. Hood National Forest17,570
Shasta CostaSiskiyou National Forests14,420
Snake RiverWallowa-Whitman National Forest31,229
South KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests104,477
TahkenitchSiuslaw National Forest5,799
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
Umpqua SpitSiuslaw National Forest2,090
Walla Walla RiverUmatilla National Forest34,416
Williams CreekUmpqua National Forest5,844
Wind CreekMt. Hood National Forest5,438
Pennsylvania (1)
AreaForestAcres
Clarion RiverAllegheny National Forest3,821
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
Tennessee (9)
AreaForestAcres
Bald MountainCherokee National Forest11,743
Brushy RidgeCherokee National Forest7,469
Devil's BackboneCherokee National Forest4,287
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Little Frog Addition NWCherokee National Forest628
Sampson Mountain AdditionCherokee National Forest3,064
Slide HollowCherokee National Forest4,057
Stone MountainCherokee National Forest5,367
Upper Bald RiverCherokee National Forest9,202
Texas (2)
AreaForestAcres
Big CreekNational Forests in Texas1,447
Little Lake CreekNational Forests in Texas596
Vermont (4)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Griffith Lake 09084Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,833
Wilder Mountain 09082Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests8,759
Woodford 09086Green Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests2,456
Virginia (30)
AreaForestAcres
Adams PeakGeorge Washington National Forest7,135
Bear CreekJefferson National Forest18,274
Beards MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,505
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
Brush Mountain EastJefferson National Forest4,916
Dolly AnnGeorge Washington National Forest7,855
Elliott KnobGeorge Washington National Forest9,380
Gum RunGeorge Washington National Forest12,620
Horse HeavenJefferson National Forest4,748
Kelley MountainGeorge Washington National Forest7,590
Laurel ForkGeorge Washington National Forest9,967
Little RiverGeorge Washington National Forest27,292
Mountain Lake Addition AJefferson National Forest1,469
Mountain Lake Addition CJefferson National Forest494
New London Bridge BranchJefferson National Forest844
North Fork PoundJefferson National Forest4,757
North MountainJefferson National Forest8,377
Northern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest9,444
Oak KnobGeorge Washington National Forest10,882
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
Peters Mountain Addition A (VA)Jefferson National Forest1,268
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Raccoon BranchJefferson National Forest4,388
Ramseys Draft AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest12,781
Saint Marys AdditionGeorge Washington National Forest1,454
Seng MountainJefferson National Forest6,428
SkidmoreGeorge Washington National Forest5,641
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
Three RidgesGeorge Washington National Forest4,745
Washington (7)
AreaForestAcres
Madison CreekOlympic National Forest1,223
Mt. Baker Noisy - DiobsudMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest56,039
Mt. BaldyOlympic National Forest3,557
PompeyGifford Pinchot National Forest23,985
QuilceneOlympic National Forest18,656
Red LakeGifford Pinchot National Forest2,162
TumwaterGifford Pinchot National Forest8,676
West Virginia (15)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Cheat MountainMonongahela National Forest8,191
Cranberry AdditionMonongahela National Forest11,123
Cranberry Glades Botanical AreaMonongahela National Forest785
Dolly Sods Roaring PlainMonongahela National Forest13,392
Dry River (WV)George Washington National Forest7,331
Falls Of Hills CreekMonongahela National Forest6,925
Little MountainMonongahela National Forest8,172
Marlin MountainMonongahela National Forest9,344
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Middle MountainMonongahela National Forest19,020
North Mountain HopevilleMonongahela National Forest6,525
Peters Mountain Addition A (WV)Jefferson National Forest343
Seneca CreekMonongahela National Forest22,287
Tea Creek MountainMonongahela National Forest8,295
Wyoming (1)
AreaForestAcres
Labonte CanyonMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest16,281
References (7)
  1. Ahrenhoerster, R. 1987. Owner and Manager, Prairie Seed Source, Inc. Telephone conversation with N. Eckardt, TNC, MRO. July 17.
  2. Dale, H. M. 1974. The biology of Canadian weeds. 5. Daucus carota. Can. J. Plant Sci. 54: 673-685.
  3. Fernald, M. L. 1950. Gray's manual of botany. 8th edition. Corrected printing (1970). D. Van Nostrand Company, New York. 1632 pp.
  4. Gross, K. L., and P. A. Werner. 1982. Colonizing abilities of "biennial" plant species in relation to ground cover: Implications for their distributions in a successful sere. Ecology 63(4):921-931.
  5. Huffman, M. 1987. The Nature Conservancy, Kitty Todd Nature Preserve, Ohio, Manager. Telephone conversation with N. Eckardt, TNC, MRO. September 1, 1987.
  6. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  7. Rydberg, P. A. 1971. Flora of the prairies and plains of central North America. Dover Publications, N.Y. 503 pp. 2 vol.