Herb: Skirret


Latin name: Sium sisarum


Family: Umbelliferae



Edible parts of Skirret:

Root - raw or cooked. Firm, sweet and floury but with a small woody core. The roots have a very acceptable taste raw, that is somewhat like a cross between carrots and parsnip but with a nutty flavour. They can also be boiled, baked or added to soups etc. The roasted root has been used as a coffee substitute.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
100 cm
(3 1/4 foot)

Flowering:
July

Habitat of the herb:

Not known in a truly wild situation but found as an escape from cultivation in damp places.

Propagation of Skirret:

Seed - sow late winter to early spring in a cold frame. It can be slow to germinate. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer if they are large enough. Otherwise, grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter and plant them out in the following spring. The seed is best sown in early April in situ. Division in early spring just before new growth begins. Use the side roots to produce new plants. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found it best to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in a lightly shaded position in a cold frame, planting them out once they are well established in the summer.

Cultivation of the herb:

Not known in a truly wild situation but found as an escape from cultivation in damp places.

Medicinal use of Skirret:

None known

Known hazards of Sium sisarum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.