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Plum Shiso
Self-Sowing Annual
20 days to baby leaf harvest
45 days to full plant harvest
Perilla frutescens
HEIRLOOM Outrageously beautiful and incredibly delicious, shiso is like lemon balm + Thai basil + her own je ne c’est quoi! Shiso’s long, strong stems and showy foliage plus long vase life make it popular in arrangements, as well. Thriving in sun as well as partial shade, shiso is often 3′ tall, slightly taller than classic basil. We savor her young leaves in salad and marinades; we also love to roll sushi with her large leaves instead of nori. Our original seed came from one of the most beautiful gardens I’ve ever seen in Olympia, Washington. She is magic!
Please note: Plum Shiso germination can vary due to dormancy in the seed therefore, when we share packets of shiso we overpack our packets by 300% to account for this dormancy.
Organic Plum Shiso
When to sow (Direct Seed recommended): After final frost, sow 2 seeds/inch. Thin & enjoy the thinnings (they are delicious). To sow for transplanting: Sow 2 seeds/cell indoors ~4 weeks before last frost (at Fruition we use soil blocks). Thin to 1. Transplant seedlings after frost.
Full/Part Sun Seed Depth: 1/4 inch
Days to Germination: 5-10 days at 60-70°F
Plant spacing after thinning: 8-12 inches; rows 12-18″ apart
Days to Harvest: 20 days to baby leaf; 45 to full leaf Height: 2-3 feet
Harvest: Harvest before flowering for sweetest flavor.
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M. Driscoll (verified owner) –
I ordered two packets in the spring on 2021 and had very low germination, then although the taste was fine I did not feel the plants were as vigorous as non-frilly red shiso I have ordered from other suppliers.
Maddie –
We are grateful for you sharing your reflections with us and the Fruition community, and truly sorry to hear that you haven’t found abundance and delight in this experience. Apologies that we are just now getting you a reply — we are responding to a backlog in product reviews, and iterating our teamwork to ensure we are consistently and quickly responding with care to reviews, now and in seasons to come. We appreciate your patience alongside your feedback!
Our curiosity is piqued! In our experience, Shiso’s vigorousness can be quite sensitive to timing of sowing and transplanting, interacting with unique growing environments — thanks for making observations and wishing you delight with whatever combination of seeds and timing helps Shiso thrive in your garden!
Surrounding you with beauty and abundance is why we do what we do– one way or another, we would love to see you find more delight this season! We have reached out to you directly by email to joyfully provide you with a coupon for a free packet of seed. Please feel free to read our Satisfaction Guarantee and email support@fruitionseeds.com should you wish to reach out any time in the future. Thanks for growing with us! “