- Heirloom
- Mild
- 65 days to maturity (from transplant)
- 100–1,000 SHU
- Green
Shishito
Shishitogarashi
Heirloom mild pepper from Japan. Mild blistered in a hot pan, with about one pod in ten arriving noticeably hot. Ready in about 65 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Sep 19, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Heat
- Mild 100–1,000 SHU
- Pod
- Elongated 0–1 oz (8–15 g) (estimated)
Slender wrinkled pods about 75 to 100 mm, picked green and often crumpled at the tip, thin-walled.
- Species
- Capsicum annuum
- Days to harvest
- 65 days from transplant · Early
- Plant height
- 2–3 ft (61–91 cm) Medium height
- Spacing
- 18 × 24 in (46 × 61 cm)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Position
- Handles open positions
- Growing sites
- Greenhouse · Open ground · Container
- Container growing
- Balcony friendly min. 3 gal (15 L) pot (estimated)
- Difficulty
- Easy (estimated) 1/5
- Skin
-
- Green
- Red
Heat
Scoville heat units
Mild
Shishito Scoville heat units: 100–1,000 SHU
Warm rather than hot, around a Cubanelle, a Pepperoncini or a Shishito. Most people eat these without reaching for water.
Flavor
“Mild blistered in a hot pan, with about one pod in ten arriving noticeably hot.”
Growing calendar
65 days from transplant Early
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 7–9 weeks before your last frost date. Look up your last frost date by ZIP code →
Disease resistance
No documented disease resistances — protect this variety with good airflow and crop rotation.
Uses & tags
- Roasting
- Snacking
- Fresh & salads
- Short season
- Beginner friendly
- Container star
- Market favorite
Origin
Shishito is the Japanese frying pepper served blistered and salted in izakaya. Roughly one pod in ten is hot; the rest are mild. The name comes from shishi, lion, after the crumpled tip that is said to resemble a lion's head. True Leaf Market lists it at 100 to 1,000 Scoville heat units over 60 to 69 days from transplant, which makes it both mild and early. Pods are picked green and small; left to ripen red they sweeten and the heat becomes more reliable rather than less.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked daily- Botanical InterestsSeeds
Packet size not listed
Check availability
$3.49Checked Oct 16, 2026 - True Leaf MarketSeeds
500 mg Packet
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$3.99Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Sandia Seed CompanySeeds
10 seeds
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$3.99Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Tomato Growers Supply CompanySeeds
Pack (20 seeds)
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$4.85Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Pepper Joe'sLive plant
1 Seedling
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$8.99Checked Oct 16, 2026
Links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Oct 16, 2026.
All photos
Questions
How do you grow a Shishito plant?
A Shishito plant grows 2–3 ft (61–91 cm) tall. Space plants 18 in (46 cm) apart in rows 24 in (61 cm) apart. Start seed indoors 7–9 weeks before your last frost; it germinates in 7–25 days. It needs full sun.
How long does Shishito take to mature?
Shishito is ready in about 65 days from transplant.
How hot is Shishito?
Shishito sits in the mild range, about 100–1,000 Scoville heat units. Figures vary between seed sellers, so treat them as a band rather than a measurement.
Can Shishito be grown in a container?
Yes — Shishito grows well in a container of at least 15 L (3 gal).
Is Shishito resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Shishito.
