Japanese name: シソ（紫蘇） Scientific name:Perilla frutescens var. crispa
[Overview]
A spice vegetable cultivated since ancient times.
It is grown as an annual sown in spring.
The whole plant is aromatic.
The stem has 4 ridges and is square in cross section.
The stems and leaves are slightly hairy.
Leaves are simple and opposite, broadly elliptic, with serrated margins.
Slender racemes at the branch tips bear many labiate flowers, white to reddish purple.
The fruit is a schizocarp.
There are strains such as Aka-jiso, Ao-jiso and Chirimen-jiso.
[Uses]
The leaves, flower spikes and seeds are used for umeboshi (pickled plums), pickles, and as a condiment.
The sprouts are used as me-jiso, for example as a garnish for sashimi.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
The seeds need light to germinate, so cover them with only a very thin layer of soil.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, moisture-retentive, slightly moist, fertile soil, and is sensitive to dryness.
Water thoroughly when the soil surface begins to dry.
Apply compost as a base fertilizer, and give liquid fertilizer about once a week.
If there is too little fertilizer, the leaves become hard.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
