Candy Carrot (Athamantha cretensis)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −23.3 °C
Cultivation
Succeeds in most soils. The long tap root is susceptible to rot in wet winters.
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed can also be sown in situ as soon as the soil is workable in the spring. Division in spring, with care.
Edible uses
The seed is used as a flavouring.
Habitat
Rocky places, mainly in mountains, S.E. Spain and E. France to Yugoslavia.
Native range
Europe - Mediterranean