The essential oil compositions of the different plant parts of wild growing caraway (Carum carvi, Apiaceae) were analyzed by GC/MS and GC/FID. The plants came from two meadows in the Vienna region, Austria. The oils from young fruits had a high proportion of limonene (61-83%), and those from inflorescences limonene (39-62%) and germacrene D (23-41%). The carvone contents of fruits, inflorescences and leaves varied greatly. Leaves and stems, low in volatiles, were dominated by germacrene D and germacrene A. Therefore, wild caraway appears as a valuable aromatic herb in meadows.