Sium sisarum
| Sium sisarum | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Apiales |
| Family: | Apiaceae |
| Genus: | Sium |
| Species: | S. sisarum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Sium sisarum | |
Sium sisarum, commonly known as skirret, is a perennial plant of the family Apiaceae in the same family as carrots and parsnip. Skirret is grown as a root vegetable. The English name skirret is derived from the Middle English 'skirwhit' or 'skirwort', meaning 'white root'. In Scots it is known as crummock and in Irish as sciréad. Its Danish name sukkerrod, Dutch name suikerwortel and German name "Zuckerwurzel" translate as 'sugar root'.
Skirret has a cluster of bright white, sweetish, somewhat aromatic roots, each approximately 15–20 centimetres (6–8 in) in length. These are used as a vegetable in the same manner as the common salsify, black salsify and the parsnip.