Japanese name: エゴマ（荏胡麻） Scientific name:Perilla frutescens var. frutescens
[Overview]
An annual 60–150 cm tall, cultivated since ancient times.
The whole plant has a distinctive aroma.
The stem branches freely, has 4 ridges, and is square in cross section.
Leaves are simple and opposite, ovate, with serrated notches along the margins.
The undersides of the leaves are sometimes tinged with purple.
Slender racemes at the branch tips or leaf axils bear many white labiate flowers.
The fruit is a schizocarp.
[Uses]
The seeds are roasted and used like sesame, and egoma oil is extracted from them.
The leaves are rich in vitamins (A, B1, B2, C) and are used in Korean cuisine to wrap meat and other foods.
It is also used as food for small birds.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
The seeds need light to germinate, so cover them with only a very thin layer of soil.
It prefers shade and well-drained, moisture-retentive, slightly moist, fertile soil, and is sensitive to dryness.
It prefers a cool climate, and in Hokkaido, Tohoku and central Honshu it spreads readily by self-sown seed.
Water thoroughly when the soil surface begins to dry.
Apply compost as a base fertilizer.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
