Tatsoi is an annual or biennial grown for its leaves, ready to start cutting about 45 days after sowing. It's hardy across USDA zones 2 through 11. Its late spring flowers are a moderate draw for honeybees and native bees, even though the leaves are the prize. As a brassica (the cabbage family), give it a fresh bed each year — away from where its relatives just grew — so the soil-borne pests and diseases of the family never get a foothold.
Zones
2-11
pH Range
5-7
Sun
Full Sun
Days to Maturity
45
Score Tatsoi on your exact land.
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What Tatsoi is
Tatsoi grows as an annual or biennial and reaches around 8 inches at maturity. It blooms in late spring.
How to grow Tatsoi
Tatsoi grows in USDA zones 2 through 11 and is ready to harvest about 45 days after planting. Tatsoi does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5 to 7, on well-drained ground. It needs around 950 growing degree days to mature and a growing season of at least 40 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
2-11
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5 - 7
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Tolerance
50°F
The lowest temperature it shrugs off — below this, expect damage without cover.
Growable Ground plant catalog
Days to Maturity
45 days
Tatsoi; cool-season Asian green; rosette form.
Johnny's; OSU-PNW
GDD Required
950+
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
0.7 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost-Free Days
40+
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 tatsoi in full sun with at least 6 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Tatsoi prefers pH 5 to 7 (FAO ECOCROP). 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
Tatsoi is ready about 45 days after sowing (Johnny's; OSU-PNW). Cut the outer leaves as you need them — frequent harvest keeps new growth coming.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — tatsoi isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Tatsoi offers moderate value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Pollinator Partnership.)
Before you harvest tatsoi, 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 tatsoi 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 Tatsoi thrives
On hardiness alone, tatsoi grows across most of the country — its range (USDA zones 2 through 11) is unusually wide. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 2–11·Where Tatsoi growsOpen map →
Continental US shown — Alaska and US Pacific territories sit outside the federal map's polygon dataset.
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Tatsoi can grow in these states:
See if Tatsoi will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether tatsoi 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 Tatsoi in my zone?
Tatsoi grows in USDA hardiness zones 2 through 11 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
How long does Tatsoi take to grow?
Tatsoi is ready to harvest about 45 days after planting (Johnny's; OSU-PNW). Your local frost dates and soil temperature move that window earlier or later.
When should you plant Tatsoi?
Most growers plant tatsoi after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 40-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Tatsoi need?
Tatsoi 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 Tatsoi need?
Tatsoi prefers soil pH 5 to 7, on well-drained ground (FAO ECOCROP). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Tatsoi attract pollinators?
Yes — tatsoi's flowers are a solid nectar source for honeybees and native bees. (Source: Pollinator Partnership.)
Is Tatsoi safe for pets?
Tatsoi is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data. Always supervise pets around new plantings. (Source: ASPCA.)