Perennial of the Apiaceae family, this subspecies of wild carrot is confined to the rocky coasts and maritime cliffs of Western and Mediterranean Europe, from the French Atlantic coasts to the Iberian Peninsula and Mediterranean shores. It colonizes scree, rock crevices, and dry lawns exposed to sea winds, sometimes also at altitude on limestone substrates.
It adopts a remarkably compact habit, in a dense and prostrate cushion, very different from the upright habit of the common carrot, with short stems and finely cut leaves, dark green and glossy, pressed against the ground.
The umbels are large and domed, pinkish-white to deep pink, often with a darker central flower, red to purple, characteristic of the genus Daucus. In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from June to September.
In cultivation, it requires perfect drainage, poor and calcareous soil, full sun exposure. Its drought tolerance and cushion-like habit make it a strong candidate for rock gardens and gravel gardens.