Shiso is an annual culinary herb, grown for the flavor it brings to the kitchen, ready to harvest about 70 days after planting. Notably, it stands up to deer and handles dry spells once it's established. Its summer flowers are a modest draw for honeybees, even though the harvest is the prize.
Zones
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pH Range
5.5-7.5
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
70
Score Shiso on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether shiso actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score shiso against your land's real conditions.
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What Shiso is
Shiso grows as an annual and reaches around two feet at maturity. It blooms white in summer. It's also deer-resistant.
How to grow Shiso
Shiso is ready to harvest about 70 days after planting. Shiso does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground. It needs around 1,400 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 80 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
Data pending
Soil pH
5.5 - 7.5
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Days to Maturity
70 days
Growable Ground plant catalog
GDD Required
1400+
Growing degree-days of accumulated warmth it needs to mature — humid summers reach this faster than cool coastal ones.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
2 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
80+
The frost-free stretch it needs start to finish — short-season areas may need an indoor head start.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant shiso in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun. It grows in the cool halves of the year, so sow it in spring or late summer rather than waiting for midsummer heat.
Match the soil
Shiso prefers pH 5.5 to 7.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Harvest at maturity
Shiso is ready about 70 days after planting (University Extension production guides). Snip sprigs as you need them — regular cutting keeps the foliage tender and slows it bolting to flower.
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — shiso is toxic to dogs and cats (mild severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Cornell Poisonous Plants Database.)
Shiso offers low value to bees and other pollinators.
Before you harvest shiso, know your soil
Anything you grow to eat takes up what's in the ground it grows in, so it's worth knowing what's documented near you before you plant shiso for food. Our free screen reads 9 federal source types across roughly 1.8M indexed sites and shows which sit near your address and which way they drain. It's a screening estimate from public records and proximity — not a soil test — so a nearby record means a soil test is worth it, not that your soil is unsafe.
Where Shiso thrives
Whether shiso thrives on a given site comes down to its soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates — the conditions that vary parcel to parcel.
See if Shiso will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether shiso actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Shiso in my zone?
Zone data for shiso is being finalized. A Growable Ground report checks your parcel's full suitability against federal soil, climate, and zone data.
How long does Shiso take to grow?
Shiso is ready to harvest about 70 days after planting (University Extension production guides). Your local frost dates and soil temperature move that window earlier or later.
When should you plant Shiso?
Shiso is a cool-season crop, so it goes in during the cool halves of the year — early spring, and again in late summer for a fall planting — rather than at the height of summer heat. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Shiso need?
Shiso needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Shiso need?
Shiso prefers soil pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Shiso attract pollinators?
Yes — shiso's flowers are a modest nectar source for honeybees.
Is Shiso safe for pets?
Shiso is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with mild severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: Cornell Poisonous Plants Database.)