A half-hardy annual with broadly ovate, deeply-veined leaves, reddish stems and small spikes of white flowers in summer. There are both green and purple-leaved forms.<\/p>\n
In China, perilla has been a medicinal herb for centuries and it has long been cultivated in the East, from India to Japan, as a culinary herb and for its many economic uses. The leaves produce a sweet volatile oil, the seeds a pressed oil, which is used in similar ways to linseed oil. It has recently become increasingly popular in the West for its culinary uses and as an ornamental garden plant.<\/p>\n
Grows best in deep, rich, moist but well-drained soil, in sun or partial shade. Propagated by seed sown in spring, after frosts in cool temperate regions. Pinch out tips to encourage and maintain bushy plants.<\/p>\n
Leaves fresh for culinary use, dried for medicinal infusions and decoctions; seeds dried for decoctions; volatile oil from leaves; pressed oil from seeds.<\/p>\n
Used in Chinese herbal medicine for colds and chest infections, nausea, stomach upsets and allergic reactions.<\/p>\n
Leaves and seeds are a popular ingredient in Japanese cookery and add color and an unusual spicy flavor to salads, seafood and stir-fry dishes.<\/p>\n
Volatile oil is added to commercial food, confectionery and dental products; oil from seeds is used to waterproof paper for umbrellas, in paints and printing inks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A half-hardy annual with broadly ovate, deeply-veined leaves, reddish stems and small spikes of white flowers in summer. There are both green and purple-leaved forms. History and traditions In China, perilla has been a medicinal herb for centuries and it has long been cultivated in the East, from India to Japan, as a culinary herb […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":756,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[109,85,154,115,97,92,98,114,131,145,118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-acidic-soil","category-annual","category-annuals","category-fall","category-full","category-herb","category-partial","category-summer","category-weed","category-well-drained","category-white"],"meta_box":{"botanical-name":"Perilla frutescens","common-names":"Beefsteak Plant, Perilla, Shiso","family":"Lamiaceae","flower_bloom_time":[{"term_id":115,"name":"Fall","slug":"fall","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":115,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":112,"count":46,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":114,"name":"Summer","slug":"summer","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":114,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":112,"count":163,"filter":"raw"}],"flower_color":[{"term_id":118,"name":"White","slug":"white","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":118,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":116,"count":113,"filter":"raw"}],"plant_life_cycle":[{"term_id":85,"name":"Annual","slug":"annual","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":85,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":84,"count":44,"filter":"raw"}],"plant_types":[{"term_id":154,"name":"Annuals","slug":"annuals","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":154,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":88,"count":10,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":92,"name":"Herb","slug":"herb","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":92,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":88,"count":79,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":131,"name":"weed","slug":"weed","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":131,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":88,"count":20,"filter":"raw"}],"soil_ph":[{"term_id":109,"name":"Acidic Soil","slug":"acidic-soil","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":109,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":108,"count":148,"filter":"raw"}],"soil_type":[{"term_id":145,"name":"Well drained","slug":"well-drained","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":145,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":101,"count":18,"filter":"raw"}],"sun_exposure":[{"term_id":97,"name":"Full","slug":"full","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":97,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":96,"count":197,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":98,"name":"Partial","slug":"partial","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":98,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":96,"count":126,"filter":"raw"}],"usda_hardiness_zones":"Zone: 10 - 11","region_or_country_of_origin":"Himalayas to Southeast Asia","plant_mature_size":"
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