# carrot family (*Apiaceae*) Carrots are crunchy, orange vegetables that grow underground. They are super healthy and can help you see better in the dark! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Gardens - **Also known as:** Orange vegetable ![carrot family](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Wilde_wortel_bloeiwijze_Daucus_carota.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wilde_wortel_bloeiwijze_Daucus_carota.jpg) ## Appearance The carrot family is known for its distinctive flat-topped or dome-shaped flower clusters, called umbels, which resemble tiny umbrellas. Flowers are often white or yellow, sometimes pink, with many small petals. Most have green, fern-like leaves. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Apiales - **Family:** Apiaceae ## Interesting facts - Celery, parsley, and even dill are all relatives in the amazing carrot family! - Some carrot family plants, like giant hogweed, can grow taller than a basketball hoop! - The first carrots weren't orange; they were purple, white, or yellow! - You might find tiny 'seeds' on your clothes after walking through some carrot family plants, thanks to their clever hooks! ## Special abilities - **Umbrella Power:** The carrot family can group its tiny flowers into large, flat 'umbrellas' to attract many pollinators at once. - **Root Reserve:** Many members, like carrots, have a deep taproot that stores food and water, helping them survive dry spells. - **Scent Shield:** This family has special oils that make them smell unique, which can both attract helpful insects and scare away pests. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-300 cm - **Spread:** 15-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Deadly - **Lifecycle:** Biennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits many tiny flowers in a cluster. - **Eats:** [Black Swallowtail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-swallowtail) (*Papilio polyxenes*) — Caterpillars feed on leaves of carrot and dill. - **Eaten by:** [European rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — Rabbits often graze on wild and cultivated carrots. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash carrots before eating them to make sure they are clean. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify carrot family? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is carrot family? 10-300 cm ### How wide does carrot family spread? 15-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on carrot family? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does carrot family bloom? Summer ### Is carrot family edible? Yes ### Is carrot family toxic? Deadly ### What is carrot family's lifecycle? Biennial ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Carrot Family: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/carrot-family)