Nature and Health - The Wild Carrot

The Wild Carrot

Today I would like to introduce you to the "mother" of the carrot as we know it and buy it in the stores, the wild carrot.

---

History

To be precise, it is not the only "carrot-mother", it is assumed that our present garden-carrot is a breeding / cross-breeding originated from our wild carrot growing in central europe, the south european giant carrot and the oriental black carrot.

According to research, there are about 25 different types of carrots. They belong to the family of apiaceae with 434 genera and about 3800 species, most of which are quite unknown and unused.
Dill, celery, parsley, caraway and fennel are e.g. also too ;)
The carrot is one of these genera and the botanical name is "Daucus".

How long the wild carrot in its form (or also in others) exists is not known, according to Wikipedia is, that the word "carota" is already in an antique cook book "De re coquinaria" from the 4.Jh. N. Chr. and stands for "carrot".

---

Ingredients of the Wild Carrot

Some important ingredients of this plant are: Essential oil, provitamin A, vitamin B1, B2 and C, pectin, mineral salts, carbohydrates.

---

Occurrence and recognition characteristics

The plant is found almost everywhere where grass grows and probably everyone has seen it some day.
In my opinion the wild carrot is one of the easiest to collect vegetables or plants in general. When you look at the leaves of the plant you can already see what it is.
Another very easy to recognize characteristic is the large white blossoms. From the second year onwards, the plants form a distinct feature, a single flower of the umbel, mostly in the middle, is black, partly reddish / brownish. This is supposed to imitate an insect to attract others. This is working quite well : D
The plants in the 2nd year, as I said are a good number easier to recognize, but the whole thing also brings a disadvantage with it - the root is going to lignify from the inside (the edge is usually softer (depending on the age)). This leaves the root only to use conditionally, but is still tasteful in a soup or similar;)

At the latest if you have the root in your hands and rub and smell it, you will know 100% that you hold a carrot in your hands ;D

By taste, the root moves like I think between carrot and parsnip with a very deliciouse and own note.
Really very delicious;)

---

Here are some pictures from collecting:

A picture of the blossom with a curious visitor, here is also quite well the fake-bug-blossom in the middle of the umbel to see.

Again the blossom and more accurately to see, but this picture comes from Google;)

A smaller one

The foliage of the plant, I think you can clearly see the "similarities": D

The shapes of the root are very variable depending on age :)

An old, almost completely woody one

Here you can clearly see, that you can no longer just bite into it xD

Don´t panic, take the characteristics of the older plants on your next walk and start with them and slowly work on to the younger ones (harder to recognize), at the latest by the smell of the root you will be sure that you hold a carrot in your hands.
Do also take care of the leaves and as I said, the blossom in the blossom, I bet you will be able to recognize the plant at any time in at least one hour;)

Information:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apiaceae

http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/wild.html

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/wild_carrot.htm

---

Side Info

For collecting plants/herbs, there are very nice apps which can help you in case of doubt. The possible zoom makes it easier for the beginning;)

---

THANKS FOR YOUR INTEREST

@schlees

And sorry for the late released english version ;)