Common Name: Skirret
Other Names: Suikerwortel (Netherlands), Crummock (Scotland), Zuckewurzel (Germany)
Scientific Name: Sium sisarum
Family: Apiaceae/Umbelliferae (Carrot Family)
Description:
Skirret was once a very well known small to medium-sized perennial root crop. Its bright white, pencil-thin roots are sweet and said to have a flavor somewhere between potato and parsnip. Unfortunately, this is one plant I have yet to taste. I keep my eyes open in my travels through the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East in hopes of finding some to sample one day.
History:
Likely originating in China, Skirret made its way to Europe early in the Middle Ages where it was a primary root crop. Unfortunately, Skirret was rather quickly replaced by the potato (from South America) given that potatoes are a larger, more easily cleaned crop. However, skirret is still used widely through northeastern Asia.
Trivia:
- The name “Skirret” comes from the Dutch “Suikerwortel” meaning “sugar root”.
- The wild ancestor of Skirret grows on the banks of waterways. This shows how tolerant skirret is of moist soils.
- Pliny the Elder stated that Skirret was a favorite vegetable of the Emperor Tiberius.
USING THIS PLANT
Primary Uses:
- Cooked (primarily): boiled, roasted, baked, braised, stewed, creamed, mashed, batter-fried
- Used interchangeably or with carrots, parsnips, potatoes, or salsify in most recipes
- Raw: peeled, sliced, chopped, or grated
Secondary Uses:
- General insect nectar plant
- Specialist insect nectar plant… lacewings prefer Skirret plants
- Refuge plant for parasitoid wasps… they like to hide in Skirret foliage
- Historically was used as a flavoring in beers, wines, and liquors
Yield: Varies widely depending on plant, soil, climate, and growing conditions in general
Harvesting: Autumn – Winter (October – March) after the foliage is killed by the frost. Skirret becomes sweeter with frosts like carrots and parsnips. Break the individual roots free and scrub the dirt off with a brush under running water. If you have a plant with a woody core, then the sweeter, softer root surrounding the core needs to be cut to scraped away first – try using a vegetable peeler. This emphasizes the importance of choosing higher-quality, woody-core-free cultivars.
Storage: Store like carrots… unwashed/uncleaned and wrapped in plastic and stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator, or unwashed and stored in straw or barely moist sand in a cool, high-humidity location like a root cellar. Keep the roots whole – if the root is damaged or broken, use them fresh instead of stored. Can be stored with other root vegetables like potatoes. Should not be stored near/with fruit (like apples), since they give off ethylene gas that can cause spoilage or off flavors.
DESIGNING WITH THIS PLANT
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9 (Zone 4 at a minimum, maybe even colder)
AHS Heat Zone: None described
Chill Requirement: Since this is a root crop, a chill requirement is rather irrelevant; however, this plant does appear to produce better in areas that are a bit colder. Also, flavor seems to get better with below freezing temperatures.
Plant Type: Small to Medium-sized Herbaceous Perennial
Leaf Type: Deciduous
Forest Garden Use: Underground layer; Small to Medium-sized Herbaceous Perennial
Cultivars/Varieties: There are a number of unnamed varieties available. Be sure to find one that is free of a woody core in the roots. It may take some time and a few sources to find a good, high quality parent plant that we can propagate on our land.
Pollination: Self-Pollinating/Self-Fertile
Flowering: August – September
Life Span: No good data as this plant is harvested and split well before its lifespan reaches its end.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS PLANT
Size: 4 feet (1 meter) tall and 1-2 foot (0.3-0.6 meters) wide
Roots: Tuberous
Growth Rate: Medium
GROWING CONDITIONS FOR THIS PLANT
Light: Prefers full sun
Shade: Easily tolerates light shade (about 50%)
Moisture: Can tolerate high moisture levels, but does not require them.
pH: Can handle slightly acidic to alkaline soils
Special Considerations for Growing:
Skirret can tolerate rather wet and/or maritime soils.
It appears to grow the best tasting and least fibrous roots in rich, moist soils.
Propagation: Very easy to divide from the root. It is a classic “plant/replant perennial” plant… i.e. we can harvest a plant, take some of the roots for harvest and replant some of the remainder in the original hole and the rest in new locations where it will grow into a new plant.
Skirret can be grown from seed; however, the new plant is typically inferior to the parent plant.
Maintenance:
Minimal once established.
Concerns:
None reported.
