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LIVING FOOD LIBRARY • LEAFY GREEN

Shungiku: Grow It. Harvest It. Eat It.

Grow this aromatic Japanese green at home, harvest tender leaves and stems, and turn them into quick salads, soups, hot pots and simple side dishes.

TONIGHT’S HARVEST

What Can I Make With Shungiku Tonight?

5 MINUTES — Add a few tender leaves to soup or noodles just before serving.

10 MINUTES — Lightly blanch Shungiku and dress with sesame oil, salt and sesame seeds.

15 MINUTES — Stir-fry Shungiku with garlic, sesame oil and soy sauce.

20 MINUTES — Add Shungiku to tofu, mushroom or noodle soup.

30 MINUTES — Build a simple hot pot with broth, mushrooms, tofu and Shungiku.

WEEKEND IDEA — Make Shungiku shiraae with tofu and sesame.

HARVEST GUIDE

When Is My Shungiku Ready to Harvest?

Harvest young, tender leaves when they are large enough to use in salads, garnishes or a small side dish.

Begin regular leaf harvest when plants are roughly 4–8 inches tall. Take usable leaves and tender stems while leaving enough healthy growth for the plant to continue producing.

Larger leaves and stems are well suited to quick blanching, stir-fries, soups and hot pots. Harvest before quality declines or plants become overly tall and coarse.

Shungiku is a repeat-harvest green. Start using it while the leaves are tender instead of waiting for one large harvest.

HOW TO HARVEST

Cut What You Need. Keep the Shungiku Growing.

Use clean scissors to cut tender leaves and stems. Harvest selectively for repeat production, or cut a larger bunch when the meal calls for it. Johnny's Selected Seeds notes that Shungiku can produce for several weeks after leaf harvest begins.

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GARDEN → KITCHEN

Turn Tonight’s Shungiku Harvest Into Dinner

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Sautéed Green Vegetables

WATCH THE HARVEST

How to Harvest Shungiku

    Show customers how to identify tender leaves, cut above healthy growth and harvest only what tonight's meal needs.

HARVEST AMOUNT

Let the Meal Decide How Much to Harvest.

    SMALL HARVEST — A few tender leaves for soup, noodles, eggs or garnish.

    MEDIUM HARVEST — A handful of leaves and tender stems for one side dish, salad or stir-fry.

    LARGER HARVEST — Several stems or a small bunch for hot pot, soup or a shared vegetable dish.

LIGHTING & GROWING

Grow Shungiku for Tender Leaves and Repeat Harvests

    Give Shungiku strong light, steady moisture and enough airflow to keep the canopy healthy. Harvest once plants reach a useful size rather than letting them become crowded. Johnny's Selected Seeds recommends beginning leaf harvest around 4–8 inches tall and reports continued production for several weeks.
Kale Growing Pic.png

Shungiku has a distinctive aromatic flavor, so a small harvest can make a noticeable difference in a meal. Start with what is ready and harvest more as needed.

SEASONAL SEEDLING BUNDLES

Is Shungiku in a Living Food Bundle?

Shungiku is not currently assigned to a verified monthly bundle in the August 2026–July 2027 calendar.

SHUNGIKU HARVEST LIST

Want Shungiku in a Future Harvest?

    Join the Living Food Harvest List and choose Shungiku when available in the plant-interest list. We’ll use customer interest to help guide future seedling planning and harvest updates.
Which plant are you interested in growing?

THE LIVING FOOD LOOP

Grow. Harvest. Eat. Grow Again.

    GET YOUR SEEDLINGS → TRANSPLANT → GROW → HARVEST → COOK → KEEP HARVESTING → REPLACE & GROW AGAIN

Old way: Buy → Refrigerate → Use → Throw Away Bag

Living Food™: Grow → Harvest → Eat → Grow Again

KEEP GROWING

What Should I Grow Next?

Mizuna • Tatsoi • Mustard Greens • Bok Choy

Old way: Buy → Refrigerate → Use → Throw Away Bag

Living Food™: Grow → Harvest → Eat → Grow Again

GROW LIVING FOOD AT HOME

Grow a Green You Won’t Find in Every Grocery Store.

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SHUNGIKU FAQ

Shungiku Questions, Answered.

    WHAT IS SHUNGIKU?
    Shungiku is an edible chrysanthemum green widely used in Japanese and other East Asian cooking. It is also called garland chrysanthemum, chrysanthemum greens, tong hao and ssukgat.

    WHEN CAN I START HARVESTING?
    Johnny's Selected Seeds recommends beginning leaf harvest when plants are about 4–8 inches tall.

    CAN I HARVEST IT MORE THAN ONCE?
    Yes. Johnny's notes that plants can produce for several weeks. Selective harvesting supports the Living Food™ repeat-harvest approach.

    HOW DO I COOK IT?
    Use tender leaves in salads, or lightly blanch, stir-fry, add to soup, or place into hot pot near the end of cooking.

    WHAT DOES IT TASTE LIKE?
    Shungiku has a distinctive fresh, herbaceous and aromatic flavor that is stronger than many common salad greens.

    IS SHUNGIKU IN A CURRENT LIVING FOOD BUNDLE?
    No verified Shungiku membership appears in the August 2026–July 2027 Living Food™ seedling bundle calendar.

PAIR YOUR HARVEST

What Goes Well With Fresh Shungiku?

    Sesame • Soy sauce • Tofu • Mushrooms • Noodles • Eggs • Garlic • Miso • Dashi • Beef • Pork • Rice • Chili oil

DMV KITCHEN INSPIRATION

Cook Your Shungiku With Recipe Inspiration

Shungiku is still a specialty green in the DMV, so the strongest recipe resources are Japanese and Asian cooking sources that show customers exactly how to use it. These links focus on fast, practical preparations that fit the Living Food™ harvest-to-dinner journey.

Just One Cookbook — Chrysanthemum Greens Salad: https://www.justonecookbook.com/chrysanthemum-greens-salad/ Just One Cookbook — Chrysanthemum Greens and Tofu Salad (Shungiku Shiraae): https://www.justonecookbook.com/chrysanthemum-greens-and-tofu-salad/ Kikkoman — Chrysanthemum Salad: https://www.kikkoman.com/en/cookbook/recipe/00000274.html Kikkoman — Korean Style Chrysanthemum Salad: https://www.kikkoman.com/en/cookbook/recipe/00001169.html
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