When to Plant Perilla in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
Jump to section
This Perilla guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- All year
- Days to harvest
- 60 days
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 20 cm apart
Perilla, also called shiso, is a bushy Asian herb related to basil. Green types suit sushi and salads and purple types add colour. It germinates easily in warm soil and grows to 45 to 90 cm.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan S/T/D
- Feb S/T/D
- Mar S/T/D
- Apr S/T/D
- May S/T/D
- Jun S/T/D
- Jul S/T/D
- Aug S/T/D
- Sep S/T/D
- Oct S/T/D
- Nov S/T/D
- Dec S/T/D
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
You can sow perilla in any month in Tropical, but the months are not equal. Summer heat brings faster bolting and heavier pest pressure, so pick a heat tolerant variety, sow little and often, and give afternoon shade from December through February.
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Tropical zone right now, Perilla included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Perilla in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Moist, free draining soil. Heavy, waterlogged soil leads to root rot (Seeds of Plenty).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- Sunlight
- Full sun or part shade (ABC Organic Gardener, The Seed Collection).
- Spacing
- 20cm apart, 40cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep soil moist but not soggy. Water more in hot or windy weather and mulch (Seeds of Plenty).
- Good companions
- Tomato, Capsicum
Tropical Growing Tips for Perilla
Recommended Varieties
- Green perilla
- Purple shiso
Key Challenges
- Caterpillars
- Heat stress
Pro Tips
- Plant any month
- Pinch flower spikes
Pests and problems for Perilla in Tropical
Harvesting Perilla
When ready: Two young leaves and a tip bud have the best aroma and flavour (Seeds of Plenty).
How to harvest: Pinch tips or trim with scissors. Each cut tip is replaced by a pair of new ones. Snip the stems then strip the leaves (ABC Organic Gardener).
Storing and preserving perilla
How to keep it
- Use fresh. No Australian source read on preserving.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Perilla
When do you plant perilla in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): all year
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan, Aug to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jan, Aug to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan, Aug to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jan, Aug to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan, Aug to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan, Aug to Dec
Can you grow perilla all year round in Cairns?
Yes, every month is on the calendar for the Tropical zone, though not every month is equally easy. Grows all year in the tropics (Seeds of Plenty chart shows every month). It can even act as a perennial in warm areas (Seeds of Plenty, ABC Organic Gardener). Keep it watered and pinch out flower spikes to keep leaves coming.
When should I plant Perilla in Cairns?
Grows all year in the tropics (Seeds of Plenty chart shows every month). It can even act as a perennial in warm areas (Seeds of Plenty, ABC Organic Gardener). Keep it watered and pinch out flower spikes to keep leaves coming.
What soil temperature do Perilla need?
Perilla germinate best when soil temperature is between 19°C and 21°C.
How do I know when Perilla are ready to harvest?
Two young leaves and a tip bud have the best aroma and flavour (Seeds of Plenty).
What are the best Perilla varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Green perilla, Purple shiso.
What grows well with Perilla?
Good companion plants for Perilla include: Tomato, Capsicum.
Are perilla salt tolerant?
Only a little. Perilla are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.