Daucus carota Purple KissesA tall annual plant, Daucus carota 'Purple Kisses' (ht 110 cm) has delicate, lacy flowers in colours ranging from pale pink through to purple, crimson and deep burgundy, or even near-black. Sometimes called 'chocolate Queen Anne's lace', it belongs to the same botanical family (Apiaceae) as Ammi majus, the commonly seen Queen Anne's lace, and the blooms have the same form: thousands of tiny flowers held in a large, flat-topped cluster, above finely divided foliage. The blooms attract beneficial insects to the garden. They look lovely mixed with Salvia, Dahlia, Canna and Pentas. The flowers are excellent for vases, lasting up to 10 days.
This plant enjoys a sunny, well-drained position, and can cope with some dryness. It is grown from seed, which can be planted in autumn for a spring to early summer display, or in spring for a mid- to late summer show. The seeds should be planted directly into the soil. After blooming, which continues for a long time, the flower head folds inward to develop a concave seed head, resembling a bird's nest. My plants grew from such a seed head, passed onto me by a friend. This annual will self-seed from year to year.
The species Daucus carota is the wild form of the cultivated carrot!
This plant is best grown from seed.
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