The carrot plant, Daucus carota, is native to Afghanistan and surrounding regions, but has been cultivated in the Mediterranean since antiquity and from there gradually spread across the globe. The part of the plant commonly eaten as a vegetable is the long, narrow taproot that extends into the ground directly beneath the stem. In the United States, the taproot is traditionally bright orange, but carrots also naturally grow in white, yellow, and even deep purple hues, though their taste and beta-carotene content vary somewhat from the orange versions that most typically appear in supermarkets. The carrot plant is very aromatic and is a relative of parsley, celery, and dill plants. Accordingly, the green, leafy above-ground portion of the carrot plant is just as edible as its taproot, but is not often consumed by humans.