Skirret (Sium sisarum) is a perennial root vegetable in the carrot family, grown for a cluster of thin, sweet, white roots. It was widely eaten in Europe from the medieval period through the 17th century; Pliny the Elder describes a plant called siser, generally thought (though not certainly identified) to be skirret, as a favorite of the Roman emperor Tiberius. It fell out of common use as potatoes and other roots became cheaper to grow at scale. The roots can be boiled, roasted, sautéed, or pickled, with a flavor often compared to a cross between parsnip and carrot and a faint anise note. Skirret is now grown mainly by home gardeners and specialty producers, and occasionally appears on menus seeking heirloom vegetables.