White Skirret Seeds

White Skirret Seeds - Sium sisarum - Sugar Root

Sium sisarum
Sugar Root

Hardy to Zone 3
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Germination Tested January 26, 2026: 95%

Approximately 80 seeds per packet

$6.95 CAD

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Check out the Pink Skirret Mix if this one is out of stock! It’s an exciting mix that often has larger, smoother roots, and plants have white, blush, or pink colouring!

Skirret is a delicious perennial root vegetable in the carrot family. It produces masses of long off-white roots that taste somewhat like a potato crossed with a carrot and a parsnip. They are great roasted, but can also be boiled, fried, stewed, added to soups, or eaten raw grated or out of hand. The roots do not need to be peeled, although some roots have a thin woody core that is easily removed by the diner after cooking. The spring shoots can be eaten, as well as the mature leaves, which taste like celery leaf or parsley.

If started early enough from seed, they can make large enough roots to eat by fall. But for the best harvest wait until the second year at least. Yields will keep increasing after that.

Skirret is a "forgotten" crop, which likely fell out of favour because it was difficult to cultivate using modern industrial agriculture methods. But it's very easy to grow for the backyard gardener! It's native to China or Asia more broadly, and was wildly popular in Europe in the middle ages.

GROWING CONDITIONS: Skirret does best in full sun, but part shade may be ok as well. Well drained soil is best, but it seems to do fine in heavy or clay soil as well, as well as swampy soils. Not drought tolerant.

SEED STARTING METHOD: I failed for years to start skirret from seed until I learned that they need fluctuating temperates to germinate. Sow seeds outdoors in small pots in early spring when the nights are still cool (below freezing is fine) and you should have excellent germination. If it's already warmed up, sow your seeds in a small pot and alternate putting the pot outside in the sun or at room temperature, and in the fridge for a day or two at a time. Or try sowing in the fall, or even wait until the following spring to sow. I've found skirret seeds to stay viable for at least two years.

HARVESTING: To harvest, wait until the top has died back in the fall, then dig up the whole plant. Cut off the largest roots, and replant the rest of the crown. If any offsets have formed around the base, you can pull or cut those off and plant them separately. The main crown can often be divided into multiple new plants using a sharp knife. Roots can be harvested all winter, and probably all year, although the flavour is probably best from fall-early spring.

Clean roots with a strong stream of water. A pressure washer works particularly well. Roots may need a quick scrub in the kitchen sink, depending if your soil has a tendency to cling to the roots.

Growing Instructions

Skirret seeds can be challenging to germinate. I recommend sowing outdoors in pots in early spring when night temperatures are still cool (light freezes are fine), but days are warm. It seems that oscillating temperatures are the key to getting these seeds to germinate (cool nights and warm days). Keep the soil moist and they should all germinate within a few weeks, or they will wait a bit longer until nighttime temperatures are warm enough.

Some people recommend using a heat mat indoors, but I haven't had great success using that method. If you want to get a jump start on the season, you could try putting the pot in and out of the fridge every day or every few days, perhaps alternating with a heat mat.

Once enough seedlings have come up and they are large enough to handle, plant them in the garden about 1 to 2 feet apart.

Shipping & Returns

By placing an order, customers agree to the shipping & refund policies detailed on this page.

Most orders are sent via Canada Post to keep costs low.

Shipping within Canada

We ship seeds in Canada via Canada Post's regular letter mail, which is an untracked service, and usually takes 1-4 weeks to arrive once we fulfill your order, but occasionally letter mail takes up to 6 weeks, especially to the Eastern provinces and rural areas.

Customers can now opt for tracked, express shipping options at checkout if you require faster delivery and/or tracking.

Larger bulbs and plants are usually sent via tracked flat rate box.

Shipping to the US

UPDATE FEB 2, 2026: WE ARE TAKING A BREAK ON ACCEPTING US ORDERS DUE TO ISSUES WITH USPS

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Shipping Internationally

International customers can select tracked or untracked shipping at checkout. The package will list the contents as "Garden Seeds". It is your responsibility to ensure you have the required import permit. We are not able to send any live plant materials internationally. Cicada Seeds will not be responsible for any orders held or confiscated by customs, or for any additional duties or tariffs placed on your order.

International shipping countries include: Hong Kong SAR, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom. (List updated Aug 31, 2026)

This list may change without notice. Sometimes Canada Post will not allow us to ship to certain countries due to wars or natural disasters, see this page for delivery service alerts.

Refund Policy

Refunds: We stand behind our seeds, so if for some reason you are not satisfied with your purchase, please reach out to us via email and we will do our best to make it right. Please note that shipping costs are non-refundable.

Cancelled orders: If you wish to cancel an order after purchasing, we may refund your order minus card processing and admin fees at our discretion. We do not accept returns on seeds or plants.

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