The plant which the modern carrot was derived from, was originally whitish/ivory coloured root. The original carrots domesticated in Central Asia ca. 900 CE were purple and yellow and writings in classical Greek and Roman times have references to edible white roots, however it is unknown if they were parsnips, carrots or both. The grandpa-carrot had a long long long way to go before it turned into an orange, non-forked stick.