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 | Skirret Other Names:
Botanical Name: Sium sisarum
Family: N.O. Umbelliferae |
Description: |
Sium sisarum, or Skirret, is a plant of Chinese origin, cultivated in Europe. It has a sweetish, somewhat aromatic root, which is used as a vegetable in much the same manner as the Oyster plant or Salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius) and the Parsnip. It is supposed to be a useful diet in chest complaints.
The name (sium) is from the Celtic siu (water), in allusion to their habitat.
S. Sisarum has been cultivated in this country since A.D. 1548. When boiled and served with butter, the roots form a dish, declared by Worlidge, in 1682, to be 'the sweetest, whitest, and most pleasant of roots.'
Culpepper says:
'Sisari, secacul. Of Scirrets. - They are hot and moist, of good nourishment, something windy, as all roots; by reason of which they . . . stir up appetite . . .'
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Ancient Lore: |
SKIRRET SIUM SISARUM
The root ... frees the bladder from slimy phlegm.
A root vegetable with a taste superior to Carrots. The roots are white inside and the flowers are white, too. The fruits are brown. It grows to about 18 inches (46 cm) and has serrated, sharp-pointed leaves.
Where to find it:Agarden vegetable introduced into England from China during the reign of Henry VIII. Popular in Roman times. Rarely grown nowadays
Flowering time: Early to midsummer.
Astrology: It is under Venus.
Medicinal virtues: The root is diuretic and cleansing, and useful for removing obstructions from the bladder. It is serviceable against dropsy by causing plenty of urine and helps liver disorders and the jaundice. The young shoots are a pleasant and wholesorne food of easy digestion.
Modern uses: The root is not now used in herbal medicine, but when seeds are available they are sown in spring in fertile soil. The roots are ready in November and may be stored like other root vegetables. They are considered by some to be an excellent restorative for those suffering long illnesses and a useful item of diet in chest complaints. |
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