Plants

carrot

Daucus carota L.

Family: Apiaceae · Genus: Daucus

Placenta I Low No biomass production

carrot — Eleftherios Katsillis · CC BY · iNaturalist

Annual apiaceous plant with an orange tuberous root. Pasini lists it in the medium stratum of Tabela 3 (low stratum for most of the cycle). 80–110 day cycle.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Placenta I
Ecological role: Pioneer
Primary stratum: Low
Strata: Low
Biomass class: No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance: Low
Soil pH range: 6–6.8
Preferred soil texture: Sandy, Loamy

Morphology

Mature height: 0.2–0.6 m
Recommended spacing: 0.05–0.1 m
Root system: Taproot
Root depth: Deep
Growth rate: Very fast
Lifespan: ≤ 1 year
Time to first harvest: 3 months

Biomes & climate

Atlantic Forest Suitable
Cerrado Suitable

Köppen classes

Tropical savanna with dry winter (Aw) Suitable
Subtropical with dry winter (Cwa) Suitable
Humid subtropical (Cfa) Suitable

Where it fits in a guild

Carrot takes the Low stratum in the Placenta I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

Design my guild

Free account — and the catalog stays open, no sign-up needed.

🪴 Cultivation

Direct-sown in beds, in furrows 1–2 cm deep spaced ~20 cm apart; thin at ~30 days to 5–10 cm between plants. Needs deep, loose, well-drained stone-free soil (sandy to loamy) to avoid deforming the root. Does not tolerate transplanting — the taproot is sensitive.

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of carrot?

The first harvest of carrot comes around 3 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for carrot?

The recommended spacing for carrot is 0.05–0.1 m.

How tall does carrot grow?

At maturity, carrot reaches 0.2–0.6 m tall.

What stage and stratum does carrot occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, carrot belongs to the placenta i stage, occupying the low stratum.

Functions

🍎 Fruit

Propagation

Seed

Citations

Pasini, F. & Guimarães, L. (2017) — Tabela 3 (Incaper) , p. 116 (primary_stratum)
www.embrapa.br (root_system, root_depth, soil_texture_preference, spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m, ph_min, ph_max, cultivation_notes)
www.embrapa.br (ph_min, ph_max, cultivation_notes, waterlogging_tolerance)