VegetableCarrot
Scarlet Red Carrot
Scarlet Red Carrot is a vibrant, nutrient-dense variety that grows 6 to 8 inches long with striking deep red roots and strong green tops. Ready to harvest in 65 days, it thrives across hardiness zones 2 through 10 and delivers a notably sweeter taste than most carrot varieties. The deep red color comes from exceptionally high lycopene content, an antioxidant that makes this carrot as good for your health as it is for your kitchen. You can eat it fresh or cooked, though cooking brings out its full potential.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
2-10
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Loose, Fertile Loam
Growth Stats
8 in
Height
Spacing
2
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
2-10
Size
8in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
Moderate
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Highlights
The lycopene content in Scarlet Red Carrot sets it apart nutritionally from conventional orange carrots, delivering antioxidant benefits with every bite. Its sweeter flavor profile and tender texture make it equally at home in a fresh salad or roasted on a dinner plate. With a relatively quick 65-day maturity and vigorous green tops, this open-pollinated variety rewards gardeners with both visual appeal and reliable harvests across nearly all U.S. growing zones.
Common Uses
Scarlet Red Carrot works beautifully in both raw and cooked applications. Fresh, it brings color and sweetness to salads and slaws. Roasted or braised, the carrot's natural sugars caramelize, intensifying its flavor and making it a standout side dish. Its high lycopene content also makes it a smart choice for anyone seeking nutrient-dense vegetables for regular eating.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Direct Sow
Direct sow Scarlet Red Carrot seeds in loose, prepared soil as soon as the ground is workable in spring. In warmer zones, you can also sow in late summer for a fall harvest. Carrots do not transplant well, so direct seeding is the preferred method.
Harvesting
Harvest Scarlet Red Carrot at 65 days from sowing, or when roots reach 6 to 8 inches long and are fully colored deep red. You can pull a sample carrot early to check maturity and sweetness. Simply grasp the green top and pull firmly, or loosen the soil with a fork if the ground is very hard. Younger carrots (around 4 to 6 inches) offer tender texture, while fully mature roots store longer.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Daucus carota subsp. sativus
Family
Apiaceae
Genus
Daucus
Native Status
L48 (I)PR (I)CAN (I)SPM (I)