| Description |
Perilla, or Beefsteak, is an upright, bushy annual to perennial plant (depending on the region) native to the Himalayas and Southeast Asia. Perilla is in the Mint (Lamiaceae) family and is related to basil and coleus. It is grown for it's edible leaves and seeds and as a medicinal and ornamental. Leaves are fragrant, ovate with serrated edges, and can be green, tinged with purple, or deep red (hence the name Beefsteak). Leaves have a pleasant sweetly spicy taste and can be added to salads and soups. Perilla is popular in Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Nepalese and Indian cuisine. The plant is heat and drought-tolerant, but can become invasive. Deadhead spent flowers to prevent Perilla from self-sowing.
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