🌿 Shiso / Perilla
Perilla frutescens
herbs
annual herbaceous
☀️ Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
💧 Water
Moderate
🗺️ Zones
4-9
🧪 Soil pH
5.5-7.0
📏 Spacing
10-12 in. apart, 18-24 in. between rows
⏱️ Maturity
60-70 days (from seed); harvest leaves at 40-50 days for culinary use
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ Sushi garnish, sashimi, tempura, shiso pesto, umeboshi coloring, Korean kkaennip banchan
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (6)
Shiso and basil create a powerful aromatic pest-repelling team; both are heat-loving herbs that thrive in similar conditions without competing.
Shiso grows well between corn rows, where corn provides light shade during peak summer heat and shiso helps deter corn earworm with its strong scent.
Shiso deters cucumber beetles with its pungent aroma; both are warm-season annuals that grow vigorously together in full sun.
Shiso repels flea beetles that commonly attack eggplants; the two plants have complementary heights with shiso filling the mid-story between eggplant rows.
Shiso deters aphids and spider mites from peppers; its vigorous growth doesn't shade peppers when planted to the north side of pepper rows.
Shiso repels tomato hornworms and some beetles with its strong aroma; both enjoy full sun and warm conditions , a classic Asian companion planting.
⚠️ Keep Apart (2)
Fennel is allelopathic and inhibits most herbs including shiso
⚠️ plants needing dry soil
Shiso prefers consistently moist soil; competes with drought-adapted species
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
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