Comments on: This history of carrots and how they went from purple to orange

By: Karin Kloosterman

Karin Kloosterman — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 06:54:01 +0000

In reply to John. Can we interview you about the "true" history of the carrot?

By: Eathen

Eathen — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 10:19:11 +0000

Most carrots were purple before Dutch growers make them orange.
The juice is dark purple as in this video https://youtu.be/AZwSTWkY2q0

By: John

John — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 07:47:35 +0000

Yes there are a lot of versions of the origin of orange carrots and the apocryphal Dutch tale. We can only go on verified documentary evidence and that is what the Carrot Museum explains and examines. There is no record of the “invention” of orange carrots to honour the Royal Orange Family.

The fact remains that there were orange carrots as early as 512ad and nowhere near Holland or the 16thC!

By: Naomi

Naomi — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:26:35 +0000

Well I guess there are alot of versions to that story out there, so thanks for the correction. Either way, it is definitely interesting to note that orange was not the original colour!

By: skipper

skipper — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:31:31 +0000

There’s a World Carrot Museum?? :O

By: Karin Kloosterman

Karin Kloosterman — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:40:28 +0000

In reply to John. Well done, John. As a representative of the Carrot Museum, I guess you have the upper hand.

By: John

John — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 07:49:43 +0000

Orange carrots are NOT a result of cross breeding between red and yellow, it does not work like that in nature.
Orange was probably developed from a found mutant in the wild.

The Dutch developed orange carrots to make a stable and consistent vegetable, not to honour the House of Orange, that is simply a romantic tale with no historical evidence to back it up.

The World Carrot Museum has the full history of carrots.