$VAR1 = { '8' => { 'parent' => '5', 'name' => 'full_B' }, '9' => { 'parent' => '5', 'name' => 'full_C' }, '5' => { 'parent' => '#####', # No parent 'name' => 'full_A' }, '10' => { 'parent' => '8', 'name' => 'full_D' }, '12' => { 'parent' => '8', 'name' => 'full_D' }, }