How to Grow Perilla (Shiso) from Seed in Malaysia: Green, Purple and Bi-Color
How to grow perilla (shiso, 紫苏) in Malaysia: green, purple or bi-color, sowing light-loving seeds, shade, pinching flowers, pests and harvest.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Days to harvest
- 40–60 days
- Updated
- 2026-11-05
Yes — perilla (shiso, 紫苏) grows well in lowland Malaysia if you give it morning sun, shelter from the harsh afternoon sun and steady moisture. You can start picking leaves about 40–60 days after sowing. Two things catch new growers out: the seeds need light to sprout and can take up to 3 weeks, so press them onto the surface instead of burying them; and our short days push perilla to flower early, so pinch off flower spikes to keep leaves coming.
Quick facts
| Item | Perilla |
|---|---|
| Sun | Morning sun with afternoon shade; 4–6 hours of direct light |
| Sowing depth | On the surface, barely dusted with mix; needs light to sprout |
| Germination | About 7–14 days, sometimes up to 3 weeks |
| Spacing | 25–30 cm between plants |
| Days to harvest | Leaves from about 40–60 days |
| Container | 20–25 cm pot per plant, or a trough with plants 25 cm apart |
| Support | Not needed; pinching keeps plants compact |
Which one to choose
All three are Perilla frutescens and are grown the same way; they differ in colour, aroma and kitchen use.
- All-green perilla has bright green, fresh-scented leaves with a minty, citrusy note. Best for raw leaves — wrapping grilled meat, shredding over rice, salads and sushi.
- All-purple perilla has deep purple, crinkled leaves and a stronger, warmer aroma. It is the type traditionally used to colour pickles and plum preserves, cooked with fish and crab in Chinese home cooking, and steeped as a tea.
- Bi-color perilla is green on top and purple underneath, so one plant covers most uses, fresh or cooked. A good first choice if you only have room for one pot.
Purple colour is richest with a few hours of direct morning sun; in deep shade purple leaves turn greenish. This guide is about growing the plant; it is not medical advice.
Choosing a spot and container
An east-facing balcony, the shaded side of a terrace-house yard or a spot under light netting suits perilla. Harsh afternoon sun makes leaves wilt, scorch and turn tough; too little light gives thin, floppy stems.
Use a pot at least 20–25 cm wide and deep per plant, or a long planter box. Very small pots dry out too fast in our heat.
Soil and potting mix
Perilla likes a rich mix that holds moisture but drains well:
- 2 parts potting mix or loose garden soil
- 1 part compost
- 1 part cocopeat, plus a handful of burnt rice husk (sekam bakar) per pot
For sowing, use a fine seedling mix.
How to sow perilla step by step
- Soak the seeds. Soak them in room-temperature water overnight. If germination has been poor before, also keep the damp seeds in a sealed bag in the fridge for 3–5 days; this often helps dormant seed sprout more evenly.
- Fill a tray or small pots with moist, fine seedling mix and firm it lightly.
- Sow on the surface. Scatter a few seeds per cell and press them in with a fingertip. Dust very lightly with mix, or not at all — they need light.
- Keep humid. Mist gently and cover with a clear lid or plastic bag. Place in bright shade, never in direct sun under the cover.
- Wait patiently. Most sprout in 7–14 days, stragglers in up to 3 weeks. Keep the surface damp; remove the cover once most are up.
- Thin. Snip extra seedlings at soil level, leaving one per cell or about 10 cm apart in a tray.
All-Green Perilla Seeds
Fragrant green perilla (shiso) for wraps, sushi, salads and pickles — pick fresh leaves for weeks.
All-Purple Perilla Seeds
Deep purple, strongly aromatic perilla for pickles, fish dishes and tea — a showpiece in herb pots.
Bi-Color Perilla Seeds
Two-tone perilla, green on top and purple underneath — a fragrant all-rounder for cooking and herb pots.
Transplanting
Move seedlings to their final pots or beds at 4 true leaves, 25–30 cm apart. Transplant in the late afternoon, water well and give a few days of extra shade. Shelter young plants from heavy rain, which flattens them and splashes soil onto the leaves.
Pinching and flowering
Perilla flowers in response to short days, and Malaysian days are always fairly short, so expect flower spikes early. To keep a leafy plant:
- Pinch out the growing tip when plants are about 15–20 cm tall, just above a pair of leaves. Two side shoots grow from that point.
- Keep pinching tips every week or two.
- Pinch off flower spikes as soon as you see them.
Plants eventually slow down anyway, so sow a new batch every 2–3 months. For your own seed, let one healthy plant flower and dry the spikes once they turn brown.
Watering in hot and rainy weather
- Hot, dry spells: water every morning and check pots again in the afternoon; dry plants give tough, bitter leaves. Mulch the surface.
- Rainy season: make sure pots drain freely and raise them off wet ground. Soggy roots cause yellowing and stem rot.
- Water at the base rather than over the leaves, especially late in the day.
Feeding
From 2 weeks after transplanting, give a light liquid feed every 10–14 days — fish emulsion, seaweed or a half-strength balanced fertilizer. Overfeeding gives soft leaves with weaker aroma.
Common pests and problems in Malaysia
- Caterpillars and leaf rollers. Holes and rolled-up leaves. Check the undersides of leaves and pick them off; unroll and remove hiding larvae.
- Aphids and whiteflies. Clusters under young leaves. Spray with water, diluted neem oil or a mild soap solution in the evening.
- Spider mites. Fine speckling and webbing in hot, dry weather, especially under a roof overhang. Mist the undersides of leaves and spray neem.
- Snails and slugs. Eat young seedlings overnight after rain. Raise trays off the ground and check at night.
- Damping off. Seedlings collapse at soil level. Use fresh mix, do not overwater, and give air once they are up.
Harvesting
Start picking once plants are about 25–30 cm tall. Take the larger leaves from the top half, always leaving several pairs on each stem. Pick in the morning, when leaves are crisp and most fragrant. Wrapped in a damp paper towel in a box in the fridge, they keep a few days.
FAQ
Why did only a few seeds sprout? Usually the seeds were buried too deep, the surface dried out, or you gave up too soon. Sow on the surface, keep humid and wait up to 3 weeks. The fridge step above can help.
Why is my plant flowering when it is still small? Short days. Pinch the spikes and sow a fresh batch regularly.
My purple perilla is turning green. Why? Not enough light. Move it to a spot with a few hours of morning sun.