Sium sisarum aka Skirret

Sium sisarum, or skirret, is a perennial in the Apiaceae family. Other names include crummock, jellico and sardia. Its native range spans east-central and southeastern Europe to southwestern Siberia and northern Afghanistan. It grows in temperate regions and is not native to Britain. Plants For A Future records escapes in damp ground. That source also notes uncertainty about truly wild populations.

Skirret forms clumps and loses its foliage for winter. Garden plants reach 3.3–4.9 feet (1–1.5 metres) tall. Their spread is about 0.3–1.6 feet (0.1–0.5 metres). Plants reach their mature size within one to two years. Small white flowers form umbels during summer. These blooms give skirret a place in flower beds and borders. It also suits cottage gardens and other informal planting schemes. Gardeners can grow it for both food and flowers.

Choose a sunny site with deep, fertile soil that holds moisture. The soil should drain well rather than stay waterlogged. Skirret grows in chalk, clay, loam or sand. It accepts acid, neutral and alkaline soils. Water during dry spells when growing roots for food. The RHS rates its hardiness as H6. This covers winter lows of about −20 to −15°C. Plants For A Future lists USDA zones 4–9. Plants can grow from seed or divisions of dormant clumps.

Skirret was a valued British root crop before potatoes arrived. Its white roots can be eaten raw or cooked. They have a sweet, nutty taste, recalling carrots and parsnips. Their flesh is firm and floury, with a small woody core. Boil or bake the roots, or add them to soup. Roasted roots have also served as a coffee substitute. Harvest during dormancy, from autumn into early spring. Lift and split clumps between November and March. Replant some sections and keep the remaining roots for food. Plants For A Future reports no known hazards.

Cut back the stems before lifting roots or in early spring. The RHS reports few disease problems, though pests can cause damage. Stem and bulb eelworm may attack plants. Voles may also feed on the roots. Plants For A Future does not flag skirret as weedy. It gives no established medicinal use or other non-food use.