Oxheart Carrot

80 days — 'Oxheart' carrot plants grow twelve to eighteen inches in height with a fourteen to twenty inches average spread. The roots grow almost completely underground and can start being harvested when they reach 1¼ inches in diameter and when the roots are short and conical in shape.^[1] At maturity, the crown diameter is 2 to 2½ inches, the shoulders are square, the sides slightly convex, the base short-tapered or rounded, which results in a short, thick-conical or heart-shaped carrot that are a moderate-orange color; specifically, Jacinthe orange.^[1,2] They average in length from 2¾ to 4¾ inches, depending on soil type and geographical location.

Originating in France where it was known as 'Guerande', both W. Atlee Burpee & Co. and by James J. H. Gregory introduced it as 'Oxheart' to the American gardening public in 1884. Over the years, various seed merchants have sold it under the synonyms "Early Gem," "Early Guerande," "Early Oxheart," "Gem," "Guerande," "Half Long Guerande," "Half Long Stump Guerande," "Half Long Stump Rooted Guerande," "Large Scarlet Stump Rooted," and "Norfolk Gem."^[1] Each packet contains 0.5 gram, which is approximately 250 seeds.