This type was developed in Danvers, Massachusetts, in the 1870's. 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.
Nantes roots have a nearly cylindrical shape.
They have almost no taper and both the shoulder and tip end abruptly with rounded ends. Photographs in seed catalogues usually emphasize this shape so strongly that a plate of Nantes carrots looks almost like a plate of frankfurters. They are medium-long, early maturing and usually eaten fresh in summer. They originated near the town of Nantes, France. Chantenay types are also named for the region of France where they originated.