How to Grow Mitsuba USA

Soil & Growing Conditions

Water: moist soil, mulch to conserve moisture (NC State Extension, Savvy Gardening)

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing	0	Sow about 1/4in deep in late spring and again in late summer or early autumn; seed can be slow to germinate, 2-4 weeks (Savvy Gardening).
Leaf growth (shade-adapted)	3	Takes an upright habit in shade, more horizontal in sun; full sun causes yellowing and bitterness (NC State Extension).
Root development	4	Thick roots develop, usable as a cooked starchy vegetable (NC State Extension).
Flowering	6	Small white star-shaped flowers appear in umbrella clusters on stems exceeding 3ft (NC State Extension).

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Soil texture	clay, loam or sand (NC State Extension)
Drainage	well-drained
Lifecycle	perennial
Edible parts	leaves, roots

At a Glance

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: Roots can be cooked and eaten as a starchy vegetable; leaves used fresh as salad greens or cooked. CAUTION: low-severity poison if eaten in large quantities; can cause skin irritation with repeated contact (NC State Extension).

Diseases

Grey mould

low

Botrytis cinerea

Soft brown fruit decay; Fuzzy grey-brown mould

NC State Extension names this directly: grey mould, in greenhouse settings.

Pests

Glasshouse whitefly

low

Trialeurodes vaporariorum

NC State Extension names this directly: whiteflies, in greenhouse settings.

Snails

low

Gastropoda (snails, various spp.)

NC State Extension names this directly: snails.

Slugs

low

Gastropoda (slugs, various spp.)

NC State Extension names this directly: slugs.

What the research guides add

Mitsuba prefers the opposite of most herbs: shade.

• A perennial with thick roots whose leaves grow straight from the root base; it takes on an upright habit in shade and a more horizontal one in sun. (NC State Extension)
• In full sun the leaves tend to yellow and can take on a more bitter taste. (NC State Extension)
• It is typically grown as an annual, depending on climate, and is easily cultivated by seed or propagated by division. (NC State Extension)
• Leaves can be used as salad greens, and the roots can be cooked and eaten as a starchy vegetable. (NC State Extension)

Mitsuba in the USA: climate data

Dates are the median 32°F freeze dates and freeze-free days from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; zones come from the USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map (ZIP code of each city centre).

Sources for this section

• NC State Extension: Cryptotaenia japonica (Plant Toolbox)

Section researched and checked on 25 October 2026 by the SoilCommander Editorial Team. How we check facts: editorial policy.

Sources

1. NC State Extension - Cryptotaenia japonica (Mitsuba, Japanese Honewort, Japanese Parsley...)

   A perennial herb with thick roots and leaves growing from the base; leaves have a clasping base, long stalk, and 3-toothed leaflets. Leaf stems reach about 6in; flower stems exceed 3ft, with small white star-shaped flowers in umbrella clusters. Native to Vietnam to Sakhalin and temperate eastern Asia. USDA zones 4a-8b. Deep shade, partial shade, or dappled sunlight -- full sun causes yellowing and a more bitter taste. Soil: clay, loam or sand; acid, neutral or alkaline pH; moist. Height/spread 12in to 3ft. Propagate by division or seed. Pests: slugs and snails, whiteflies (greenhouse settings). Diseases: grey mould (greenhouse settings). Roots can be cooked and eaten as a starchy vegetable; leaves used as salad greens. TOXICITY: low-severity poison, toxic only if large quantities eaten; can cause severe skin irritation following repeated contact (contact dermatitis) -- caution advised for those allergic to Apiaceae family plants.

These source is specific to this region. The full list of 4 sources behind this guide (Gardener's Path, NC State Extension, Plants For A Future (PFAF) and others) is in the references of our UK guide to mitsuba; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.