How to Grow Shisos UK
On this page
In the UK, shiso goes in the ground early March to mid April.
Timing is the decision that matters most in the UK: sowing early March, and that same window applies across all 4 regions covered here.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.
Shiso (Perilla frutescens)
2 sources cited · Verified
When to Plant Shisos in the UK
When to plant shisos in the UK: in Southern England, sow early March to mid April. Find your area in the table below.
Quick Facts
Growth Stages
Harvest & Storage
Shiso Photo Gallery
Plan your Shisos planting
When to sow and plant Shisos depends on your own frost dates. Check the UK vegetable planting calendar. To work out where it fits in your beds, sketch your plot in the free Garden Layout Planner.
What the research guides add
Shiso is easy, and that is the problem: both sources below warn that it self-seeds prolifically, and one treats it as an invasive weed.
- An annual member of the mint family that reseeds itself each year; unlike garden mints it does not spread by runners (Missouri Department of Conservation). (Missouri Department of Conservation)
- It grows best in full sun to partial shade in rich, moist to dry soil. (NC State Extension)
- It self-seeds prolifically, and pinching off the flowers before they go to seed helps slow the spread of the wind-dispersed seeds (NC State). Missouri advises weeding before flowering and seed set. (NC State Extension, Missouri Department of Conservation)
- NC State says it is classified as invasive by the NC Invasive Plant Council and listed as invasive in Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Missouri calls it a nonnative, invasive species that should not be planted or allowed to spread, and says the Missouri legislature passed a ban on selling it in 2025. (NC State Extension, Missouri Department of Conservation)
Sources for this section
- Missouri Department of Conservation: Beefsteak Plant (Perilla Mint)
- NC State Extension: Perilla frutescens (Plant Toolbox)
Section researched and checked on 24 October 2026 by the SoilCommander Editorial Team. How we check facts: editorial policy.
Growing Shiso in another region
Sowing dates, frost timing and local advice differ by country. Use the guide for where you garden.
References
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Light: full sun to partial shade. Soil: rich, moist to dry, tolerates high organic matter and well-drained conditions; good drainage, occasionally wet soil acceptable; highly resistant to heat and drought. Hardiness USDA zones 10a-11b. Size: 1-3ft tall, 0.25-1.5ft wide, spacing under 12in. Growth: grows quickly and aggressively, high maintenance, self-seeds prolifically via wind dispersal. Propagation: seed. Pests/diseases: no serious insect or disease problems. Toxicity: can be toxic to cattle. Invasive status: listed invasive species in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. Management: pinch off flowers before they go to seed to help slow the spread.
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Soil: chalk, clay, loam, sand; moist but well-drained; pH acid, alkaline or neutral. Sun/aspect: full sun or partial shade, south-facing, sheltered. Size: 0.1-0.5m height/spread, 1-2 years to maturity. Hardiness H3 (-5 to 1°C, coastal and relatively mild UK areas). Propagate by seed. No pruning needed. Pests: generally pest-free. Diseases: generally disease-free. Best grown in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade; used as a foliage carpet bedding plant but also as a herb.
2 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I sow shiso in the UK?
In Southern England, from early March. In Scotland, wait until early March. Treat these as a guide rather than a fixed date — the governing rule is to sow only once frost risk has passed and temperatures are reliably warm enough.
When do I sow shiso?
Sow early March to mid April.
Plan next season before the problems start
Most of the advice on this page comes down to timing and spacing — sowing at the right moment, rotating beds, and giving plants enough airflow. The UK Garden Planner lays your plot out month by month so those decisions are already made before the season starts.
Get the UK Garden Planner →Instant PDF download · Written for UK growing conditions
How this guide is put together
The growing data on this page — sowing windows, pests, diseases, soil and site requirements — comes from named horticultural sources, listed in References below, checked against RHS and Met Office guidance. An automated pipeline assembles that verified data into the page you're reading: it selects which facts to lead with and builds the surrounding prose and layout. It does not invent a date, a source or a number — where a verified value for a field isn't available, the page leaves it out rather than guessing. A person reviews and publishes each page; nothing goes live unverified.
Last verified 2026-10-24
Plan Shisos by month
The months this guide gives for sowing or planting, each with the full list of jobs for that month in the UK:
More from the same group (herbs & aromatics):
Growing advice for your part of the UK
Timing and conditions change a lot inside one country. These guides cover frost dates and growing seasons region by region.
Where To Go From Here
Take this crop from reading into a written plan for your own beds.
Keep going
Plan the next step
Use the printable SoilCommander planner for your region to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts and weekly garden tasks.