Wild Carrot (Daucus carota)

About Wild Carrot:

Wild Carrot weed is a perennial that only spreads by their seeds and is an annual or biennial, and sometimes has a short life span. It can be found throughout Ontario and interestingly enough, cultivated carrots came from wild carrot. The germination period for this plant is in the spring. If there is some Wild Carrot in your hay fields, it will not damage your crop.

Family: Carrot Or Parsley Family (Umbelliferae)

Wild Carrot Scouting and Prevention:

Wild Carrot prefers to grow in pastures, along roadsides, and sporadically in gardens. The stem of a Wild Carrot is usually straight and stands up to about 1 meter high with some branching, groves and rough-hairs. The leaves of this plant are dark green and can grow up to 7 inches long and 4.5 inches wide. The flower that sits at the top of the plant looks like a flat, umbrella shaped flower that spans 2 to 5 inches across and is a white, creamy yellow or rose tone. In the center of the flower there is typically a red or dark purple small flower. During the day, the head of the flower is facing up and during the night it is bent down. The best way to prevent Wild Carrot from taking over is to mow fencerows and waste areas to decreases the chance of it spreading into the fields.

Wild Carrot Control:

In your efforts to control Wild Carrot, know that it has been recorded to be resistant in Ontario to WSSA Group 4 herbicides and synthetic auxins. If your hay fields become overly infested with Wild Carrot, the best thing to do is rotate to a cultivated crop for a year or 2 in order to rejuvenate the field, and then replant hay. If there is grassland that you are unable to cut, the best way to deal with the actively growing Wild Carrot is to apply broadleaf herbicides.

Latin / Alternative Wild Carrot names:

• - Daucus carota
• - Carotte sauvage
• - Bird's-nest
• - Queen Anne's-Lace
• - Carotte

Additional Wild Carrot Resources