Carrot Seeds - Dragon Carrot

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Dragon Carrot seeds produce a striking heirloom carrot known for its dramatic purple skin, bright orange interior, and sweet, crisp flavor. Dragon Carrot seeds are an excellent cho ice for growers who want a colorful, flavorful carrot that combines eye-catching appearance with reliable garden performance and kitchen versatility. This remarkable carrot stands out for its bold coloration and smooth roots that are well suited to fresh eating, roasting, juicing, and bunching. About Dragon Carrot Dragon Carrot is a biennial selection of carrot, with an upright/erect habit and an expected height or spread of 13–18 in. It is best suited to fresh roots, storage, cooking, color diversity, and seed saving. Notable traits include purple coloring; harvest when shoulders reach the expected cultivar width and roots have developed full color; sweet and aromatic with texture shaped by soil and harvest age. Choose Dragon Carrot when the garden plan calls for fresh roots, storage, cooking, color diversity, and seed saving and the listed upright/erect habit fits the available space. History and provenance Cultivated carrots were shaped from Eurasian wild carrot populations, with early selection emphasizing aromatic roots and later regional selection producing familiar orange, yellow, white, red, and purple garden forms. Modern market classes such as Nantes, Danvers, Chantenay, Imperator, and round forcing types describe root form more reliably than an unsupported pedigree story. Dragon Carrot is a visually striking carrot variety celebrated for its purple exterior, orange interior, and sweet, crisp texture, but its deeper significance lies in the way it reconnects modern growers with the older history of carrot diversity. Long before orange carrots became the dominant market standard, cultivated carrots existed in a wider range of colors, especially purple and yellow forms that were associated with early domesticated carrot lineages. Dragon Carrot reflects that broader heritage by preserving the dramatic pigmentation and visual complexity that many modern commercial carrots no longer display. In that sense, it is not only a beautiful root crop, but also a reminder that the history of the carrot is far more diverse than the narrow color range most people now expect. The larger story of carrot domestication begins in Central Asia, especially in the region associated with present-day Afghanistan and surrounding areas, where early cultivated carrots were developed from wild ancestral forms. For home gardeners, market growers, and heirloom enthusiasts alike, Dragon Carrot seeds offer vivid harvests, crisp texture, and a memorable blend of ornamental beauty and everyday culinary value. Growing facts Scientific name Daucus carota L. subsp. sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang. Life cycle Biennial Maturity 70-79 Days Germination 10-21 Days at 55–70 °F Seed depth 1/4 in Plant height / spread 13–18 in Growth habit Upright/Erect Spacing 2 in between plants; 12 in between rows Sunlight Full sun Soil Sandy loam; pH 6.0–6.5 Water Moderate Support No-Support Starting Dragon Carrot from seed Sow 1/4 in deep and keep the seed zone evenly moist. Expect emergence in 10-21 Days when the seed-zone temperature is near 55–70 °F. Germination preparation: Direct sow into a prepared, weed-free seedbed; avoid disturbing developing roots or dense stands. Light requirement: Cover evenly to 1/4 in. Soaking: Optional short soak; do not leave seed waterlogged. Stratification: None required. Scarification: None required. Planting and care Plant during spring/Fall and provide full sun. Space plants 2 in apart with 12 in between rows. Use sandy loam with a pH near 6.0–6.5, and follow a moderate watering plan. Support requirement: No-Support. Frost response: Semi-Hardy. Good container fit with drainage, even moisture, and the listed spacing Harvest and use Approximately 70-79 Days, from direct sowing to market-size roots. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date. Harvest: Harvest when shoulders reach the expected cultivar width and roots have developed full color. Uses: Fresh roots, storage, cooking, color diversity, and seed saving. Flavor: sweet and aromatic with texture shaped by soil and harvest age. Seed saving: Insect-pollinated umbel crop. Best uses include fresh roots, storage, cooking, color diversity, and seed saving. Flavor and eating quality: sweet and aromatic with texture shaped by soil and harvest age. Saving seed Select several healthy, true-to-type Dragon Carrot plants that match the expected upright/erect habit and overall plant form. Avoid saving seed only from the earliest or largest individual unless that is your deliberate selection goal. Pollination system: Insect-pollinated umbel crop. Compatible plants of the same species can cross through insect activity; wild relatives matter for carrot and parsnip. Separate compatible varieties that may flower together, or use cages, barriers, hand pollination, or another documented control appropriate to the crop. Dragon Carrot is a biennial. Seed production may require overwintering, vernalization, or more than one growing season, depending on climate and crop biology. Clean the seed carefully, dry it thoroughly away from direct heat, label the lot with variety and year, and store it cool, dark, and dry. Test germination before an important planting or distribution season. Common problems Common concerns: Carrot rust fly or root maggot where present, aphids, caterpillars, leaf spots, damping-off, and uneven emergence from crusted soil. Management: Use clean seedbeds, rotation, careful watering, prompt thinning, airflow, and locally appropriate exclusion methods. Diagnosis note: Similar symptoms can have different causes. Compare plants of the same age, record weather and irrigation, and use local Extension or diagnostic support before applying a control. Frequently asked questions Frequently Asked Questions - Dragon Carrot When is Dragon Carrot ready? Use 70-79 Days. Approximately 70-79 Days, from direct sowing to market-size roots. Weather, soil temperature, and planting method can shift the actual harvest date. How long does germination take? Expect 10-21 Days at about 55–70 °F. Cooler, hotter, crusted, saturated, or dry seedbeds can slow emergence. How large does it grow? Expect about 13–18 in with an upright/erect habit. Space plants 2 in apart and rows 12 in apart. Support: No-Support. Can it grow in a container? Good container fit with drainage, even moisture, and the listed spacing Use a container with drainage and enough volume to maintain the listed spacing and steady moisture. Can I save seed? Insect-pollinated umbel crop. Keep compatible varieties isolated and allow selected plants to reach full seed maturity. Show more