Skirret.

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The English and Dutch called it 'Skirwort' meaning 'white root' or "Sugar Root". In Scotland,it is  as "Crummock" First documented  in Britain in a 1322 list of seeds maintained by the gardener for the Archbishop of Canterbury, It was bought over to the Colonies in 1775' by the English. 

Skirret is a strong staple crop, part of the parsley family, In the spring, its shoots are a good edible. It grows long white roots that resemble carrots and with the texture of potato. Each plant grows a cluster of sweet, 5-8" white roots which multiple over the years.   Another positive point about growing this plant is that it has a cluster of tiny white fragrant flowers that attract a multitude of beneficial insects for your garden.

Skirret grows best in full sun but will tolerate shade at a small cost to root production. It can handle a fairly wide range of temperatures, given sufficient water. If temperatures will climb above 90° F (32 C) for long, it will benefit from afternoon shade. It can survive fairly cold winters and can probably be grown as a perennial down to USDA zone 5.

Direct sow any time from the middle of fall to late spring. If planting in spring, it is best to wait until after the last frost, since the new sprouts may die back in a hard freeze. They will usually recover, but too many freezes will kill the plant.

In order to produce full size roots the first year, you will need to start seeds indoors in most climates. Skirret seed germinates slowly and erratically over a long period of time.  It is usually three weeks before I see the first germination and six weeks before 50% have emerged. Throughout all of its growing stages the soil must be kept moist. If possible, apply 70° F (21 C) bottom heat until half of the seeds germinate and then remove from heat. Ideally, this should give you plants at least six inches (15 cm) tall at transplant time.

In row spacing of 18 inches (45 cm) works very well. Three feet (91 cm) between rows will leave room to maneuver, but get pretty crowded by fall.

In  the 1600's before Cammas became a big trade item, Skirret root was a major source of sweetness for Europeans in both their home countries and also in the New World, Skirret can be cooked like a carrot, grated raw into salads, used as a crudite and gets sweeter when roasted. 

In English Tudor times another popular way of preparation was to boil and serve with butter, Skirret makes a great addition to soups, where its soft texture will cause it to break apart and act as a sweetener and thickener. 

Like Burdock, Skirret is best harvested the first year its grown, If you are cooking with 2nd year roots it is best to remove the cores before adding skirret to your soup.

 According to the 1677 Systema Horticulurae, or the Art of Gardening, gardener John Worlidge referred to Skirret as “the sweetest, whitest, and most pleasant of roots.”