Perilla

Perilla: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Annual, upright plant about 80 cm tall and 40 cm wide, with square stems.

Leaves

Broadly oval to heart-shaped, 5–10 cm, with a toothed edge; green or red-purple, sometimes frilled; in opposite pairs.

Flowers

Small white to pink flowers in long spikes, from August to September; it flowers late because it responds to short days.

Scent and flavour

A blend of mint, aniseed and cumin, with a hint of cinnamon in some forms.

Seed

Small, round seeds in the dry calyx; they sow themselves easily.

Flowering: August–September · Harvest and fruit: June–October · Sowing: March–May · Plants: May–June · Pruning: June–August

Why grow it?

• A distinctive flavour of mint, aniseed and cumin that you will not find in other herbs.
• Attractive ornamental foliage in green or purple, sometimes frilled: also nice as a decorative plant in a pot or vegetable garden.
• Quick to grow from seed: a few seeds give leaves for the whole season.
• Grows in sun and part shade, so also suits a spot that does not get sun all day.
• The flower spikes are edible as a garnish and feed insects.

Perilla: where does it grow best?

• Sun to part shade; in the sun the flavour is strongest, in part shade the leaves stay softer.
• Humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Keep evenly moist: in dry weather it bolts and the leaves become tough.
• A warm, sheltered spot; it is sensitive to frost and cold wind.
• Space plants 25–30 cm apart; in a 25–30 cm pot, one plant.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.8 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Frost tender: overwinter indoors (above 2 °C)

Goes well with

• Cucumber: Goes in the same cuisine and wants the same warm, moist spot.
• Basil: Another warmth-loving culinary herb for the same container.
• Chives: Fits in the herb container and also likes evenly moist soil.

Perilla: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May–June.

1. Sow in March–April indoors at 18–22 °C. The seeds need light to germinate: press them onto moist seed compost and do not cover them.
2. Prick out the seedlings when they have two true leaves and put them in small pots in a bright place.
3. In May get them used to the outdoors gradually and put them outside after mid-May (after the Ice Saints). You can also sow outdoors in May on warm soil.
4. Plant them 25–30 cm apart, at the same depth as in the pot; thin outdoor sowings to that distance.
5. Water in generously straight away and spread a thin layer of compost mulch around the plant.

Care

Water

Regularly and evenly, in the morning at the base; do not let the soil dry out, but do not keep it soggy.

Feeding

Compost at planting is enough. In a pot, a little organic liquid feed every 3–4 weeks.

Pinching out

Pinch out the tip when the plant is 20–30 cm tall: this gives a bushy plant with more leaves.

Harvesting

Pick the leaves from a height of 20 cm, from the top down; fresh leaves taste best. In the fridge they keep for a few days in damp kitchen paper.

Flower spikes

Pinch out the spikes if you want leaves; after flowering the flavour of the leaves declines.

Tip: Sow indoors in March–April without covering the seed and plant out after mid-May. Pinch out the tips and flower spikes: you will have tender leaves for months.

Perilla: when to prune it?

Pruning months: June–August.

When: From June to August pinch out the tips regularly and harvest the leaves.

How:

• Pinch out the tip when the plant is 20–30 cm tall, just above a pair of leaves.
• Pick lots of small leaves rather than a large amount now and then; never take more than a third of the plant at once.
• Remove flower spikes as soon as they appear if you mainly want leaves.
• At the end of the season leave a few spikes if you want to collect seed.

Caution: It is an annual: it dies at the first frost. Harvest everything before the first night frost.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Seed

March–April indoors at 18–22 °C, uncovered, or in May outdoors on warm soil. It also sows itself.

Collecting seed

In September–October cut off the brown spikes, let them dry and rub out the seed; store the seed dry and cool until spring.

Perilla: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to 2 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Not hardy: it dies at the first frost and is an annual here.
• In September harvest everything before the first night frost and use or preserve the leaves.
• Keep seed from a healthy plant in a dry, cool place for next year.
• Self-sown seedlings can come up again the following spring in warm spots.

Diseases and pests

• Slugs: Holes in young leaves or bare stems. Pick them off, put a barrier round the plant or grow it in a pot.
• Aphids and spider mite: On young shoots or in dry weather: sticky shoots or fine webs. Spray off with water and keep the soil moist.
• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves, especially in dry weather and poor air flow. Water evenly, space plants widely and remove affected leaves.
• Early bolting: The plant flowers too early and the leaves turn tough. Keep the soil evenly moist, pinch out tips and flower spikes and make a second sowing later.

Through the year

• March: Sow indoors at 18–22 °C, uncovered.
• April: Sow and prick out. Keep somewhere bright.
• May: Plant out after mid-May. Optionally sow outdoors.
• June: Pinch out tips and start harvesting.
• July: Harvest. Water in dry spells.
• August: Flowering begins. Pinch out flower spikes if you want leaves.
• September: Collect seed. Pick the last leaves.
• October: Harvest everything before the first frost. Clear away.

Edible and useful

Leaves (June–September)

Pick the leaves from June to September; pinch out the tips regularly so the plant branches. Green shiso tastes fresh, of mint, cumin and lemon; red shiso is a little sharper and colours vinegar and syrup bright pink. Use the leaves with sushi and sashimi, in salads, to wrap rice balls or in a syrup.

Seeds (September–October)

In September and October clusters of seeds form. The still-green seed clusters (hojiso) can be preserved in soy sauce or scattered fresh over rice.

Storing

Fresh, a few days in the fridge in a box with a damp piece of kitchen paper. You can dry them (giving a seasoning, like yukari with salt), but most of the freshness is lost. As a syrup or pickled in vinegar they keep longer.

Caution: As a kitchen herb, shiso is safe. Do not eat large amounts: the plant contains substances that are harmful in large quantities, especially to grazing animals (horses and cattle). Shiso self-seeds readily: cut off the seed clusters if you do not want that.

Eating and using is at your own risk: see the terms of use.

Recipes

• Red shiso syrup (Syrup · ± 1 litre · 30 min)

Did you know?

• In English the red-leaved form is also called beefsteak plant; it belongs to the mint family, like basil and mint.
• In Japan, red shiso gives pickled plums (umeboshi) their red colour.
• In Korea the leaf is called kkaennip and is eaten with grilled meat.