Wild Carrot Native Wildflower Seed

DAUCUS CAROTA

One may think that a flower so entwined with royalty may not be hugely popular with us revolutionaries, but that couldn’t be further from the truth, it’s a favourite. Long before Queen Anne pricked her finger, wild carrot could be found in the royal garden of Babylon in the 8th century BC. Now seen throughout the UK, it’s easy to grow and takes no management, perfect for gardeners of all experience.

A purple dot in a sea of white tranquillity, these big beautiful heads blooming late in summer are sure to take you back to the hanging gardens of Babylon… Nebuchadnezzar is king, Balthazar’s on the flute and wine is flowing. Life is good.

Once again that the best plants usually got there before the trend forecasters.

Tall, elegant, and quietly theatrical, Wild Carrot brings late summer grace to a garden. The hoverflies arrive. The beetles mingle. The bees browse the lacework. All very civilised. Until you realise the whole thing is wild.

Wild Carrot likes sunny, open spots and free draining soil. It is a strong choice for meadow edges, sunny borders, dry banks, and wildlife gardens.

Rip - Clear weeds, grass, and debris. Rake the soil so you have a loose, open surface.

Scatter - Scatter the seed thinly across the soil. Do not sow too thickly, as Wild Carrot needs space to grow well.

Sow - Press the seed gently into the surface, or cover very lightly with soil.

When to sow - For best results sow from August to November. You can also sow from March to May.

Where to sow - Choose a sunny spot with free draining soil and low competition. Avoid heavy, wet ground or areas crowded by thick grass.

After sowing, keep the soil lightly moist while the seeds get going.

Once you can see green shoots, keep big weeds and thick grass away. Do not feed it. Wild Carrot is happiest when grass and weeds are not being given extra power.

It is usually biennial, so it often grows leaves in year one and flowers in year two. Leave seed heads standing if you want them to self seed.

Wild Carrot usually flowers from June to September, producing elegant white flower heads that are loved by hoverflies, bees, beetles, and other insects.

It typically grows around 30 to 100 cm tall, adding height,
softness, and late summer structure.

It is usually biennial, growing leaves in the first year and flowering in the second. The seed heads curl into beautiful little bird nest shapes after flowering. Very chic. Very wild. Very “why does my garden suddenly
look clever?”

Wild Carrot can grow in pots, but it needs depth and space.

Use a large, deep pot with drainage holes. Fill it with peat free, low nutrient compost mixed with sharp sand or grit to keep it free draining. Avoid rich compost. Wildflowers are not here for the luxury spa treatment.

Scatter the seed thinly, press it in gently, and place the pot in full sun. Keep lightly moist while the seeds get going. Once growing, water when the compost starts to dry out.

We want your seeds to grow. If you follow our sowing instructions, give them a fair chance, and they still do not grow, we’ll put it right.

Eligible customers can choose either a refund for the seeds that did not grow, or replacement seeds of the same value.

For more information on our policy go to our No Grow No Fee page.