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I keep seeing the following words to describe carrots listed in seed catalogs
Danvers, Imperator, Nantes and Chantenay.
So I looked up their meaning. Here are the descriptions that I found. If you have anything to add, like days to mature, type of soil they like, keeping qualities, texture, fresh or cooking carrot, and/or flavor, or anything else, please feel free to add information.
Chantenay
are named for the region of France where they originated. These tend to be medium to short, tapered with a blunt tip. They mature by mid-summer.
4½ -5½ " long, 2-2½" diameter. Is lighter in color than other types, and has a coarser texture than others, lending itself to not be preferred for fresh consumption, but rather for storage or processing.
Nantes
roots have a nearly cylindrical shape. They have almost no taper and both the shoulder and tip end abruptly with rounded ends. They are medium-long, early maturing and usually eaten fresh in summer. They originated near the town of Nantes, France. 6-7" long, 1-2" in diameter.
Danvers
roots are medium-long, with broad shoulders that taper noticeably toward the tip. (Bugs Bunny is usually gnawing on is a classic Danvers shaped carrot.) This type was developed in Danvers, Massachusetts, in the 1870's. 6-7 inches long, 2-2 ½ inches diameter. become woody with age.
Imperator
roots are more slender at the shoulder than Danvers types and usually slightly longer. They taper smoothly from top to bottom. These are widely available for fresh winter market consumption where a long smoothly tapered root is a selling advantage in the produce aisle. They are late maturing and good for storing. 8-10" long
I grew carrots for the first time last fall. I was surprised that they did well, since I live in Texas with clay soil. Most had straight roots of about 5-6 inches in length. They where Amarillo yellow. I would like to try other carrots with this same mouth feel, so to speak. They were crunchy raw, and not soggy cooked (I plus over grocery store carrots). I like them a lot. They don't taste very carroty though.
