How to grow shiso (perilla)

Perilla frutescens · Lamiaceae · Herb

Shiso (Perilla) is a warm-season herb in the Lamiaceae family, grown either from a direct sowing or from transplants. It wants full sun, though it tolerates a little afternoon shade in hot regions and steady, even moisture. From sowing to first pick is about 70–90 days. It is killed by frost, so nothing goes outside until the danger has passed and the soil has warmed.

Grower’s note: A Japanese and Korean herb with large frilly green or purple leaves, used with sashimi, in kimchi and as a wrap. Warmth-loving and slow, erratic to germinate (light and a cold spell help). It self-seeds aggressively - pull volunteers or it takes over.

Sowing

Sow barely covered — the seed needs light to germinate, into soil between 65–82°F — germination is quickest near 72°F. It is slow and often erratic to germinate (14–21 days). For an early crop, start seed indoors about 7 weeks before your last spring frost and grow it under bright light.

Spacing & layout

Give each plant about 12″ along the row with roughly 18″ between rows. On a square-foot grid that is 1 per square foot. Allow at least 10″ of loose, workable soil for the roots. It grows well in containers at least 10″ deep.

Fitting it to your season

Shiso (Perilla) needs roughly 70–90 frost-free days to crop. Where the season is shorter than that, start it indoors and choose the earliest-maturing varieties, or grow it in a container you can move under cover on cold nights. In long, hot-summer regions it can often be planted twice — once in spring and again in mid-to-late summer for a fall harvest.

Quick facts

When to plant shiso (perilla)

Companions

Common problems

Pests: flea beetle, slugs.

Diseases & disorders: damping off.

Same family (Lamiaceae)

Rotate these so they don’t follow each other in the same bed year to year.

Figures are typical home-garden ranges from Cooperative Extension planting guides, cross-checked against multiple state sources. Your variety and conditions will vary.