Shiso 'Purple'

It does well in most garden soils, preferring full to part sun and moist, well-drained soil. It does not withstand drought-like conditions well. The foliage will become deep burgundy when grown in bright sun light, otherwise in a shadier environment the leaves will be olive green. Rich soil and adequate moisture will enhance the growth of the plant considerably.

Try to plant in a location that enjoys full sun and remember to water moderately. Keep in mind when planting that Purple is thought of as hardy, so Purple will tend to go dormant or grow slowly over the winter months.

They should be covered only lightly with soil.

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Purple is a hardy plant.

Perilla also called rattlesnake weed got this particular name because when the seeds are dried you can shake the dried seed stalk and it rattles like a rattlesnake.¹

Perilla frutescens is native to China, Japan and India, growing on hillsides and mountains in sunny, fertile regions. The species has many varieties with many different leaf forms and colors ranging from green to red and purple. The leaves can be so large and red that they are reminiscent of a slice of raw beef, hence one of it’s common names, “beefsteak plant”.

The most common variety used in Chinese medicine has purplish green, serrated leaves and is sometimes mistaken for purple basil. The leaves have been shown to be high in anti-oxidants and have a much higher content of luteine and beta-carotene than spinach. In Korea the leaves are pickled and canned and sold in most grocery stores, and in Japan, the leaves, stems and seeds are all used in cooking.

Perilla is a pretty, aromatic, annual garden plant, which attracts butterflies and is frost tender, hardy to USDA zone 8.

Zi Su Ye is used medicinally in a wide variety of situations and in one interesting clinical study from China, perilla leaves were used to treat warts in 20 subjects. The fresh leaves were rubbed on the warts for 10-15 minutes then laid on the warts, covered, tied with a cloth, and left for the remainder of the day. After repeating this procedure for 2-6 days, the warts soon resolved in all 20 patients.

Rub the leaves of perilla on your skin and clothes on hikes to repel ticks.¹

Rattlesnake Weed, Red, Beefsteak Plant, Perilla, Wild basil

¹ altnature.com/gallery/perilla.htm

“Purple Shiso Herb Info from Jadeinstitute”:

http://www.jadeinstitute.com/herbal-detail-page.php?show=51&order=common_name