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Habitat
Annual herb of the mint family native to E. Asia,
it is a traditional crop of China, India, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and other Asian
countries. Perilla was brought to the United States in the late 1800s by Asian immigrants.
It has quickly naturalized and become a common weed of pastures and roadsides in the
southeastern United States. Found growing in sunny open fields, roadsides, waste places
and open woodlands. Cultivation is very easy Perilla prefers light to medium moist
well-drained and rich soil in full sun. Perilla is a very attractive plant for the garden
and attracts butterflies. It’s deep purple stems and purple to red tinted leaves last
all summer and fall. It is a very aromatic plant, with a strong minty smell. Growing up to
4 feet tall when in bloom, the stems are square, reddish-purple and branching. The leaves
are large, up to 6 in. in diameter, petioled, opposite, ovate and serrate, edges ruffled
or curly, dark green tinted red to purple (especially on the underside) and hairy.
Sometimes the leaves are so large and red that they remind one of a slice of raw beef,
hence the name beefsteak plant. The flower spikes are long, up to 10 in. and born in the
leaf axils. Flowers are small about 1/4-inch long and tubular, pink to lavender and
numerous. After blooming from July to October, they leave their calyx on the spike to
cover the seed pod, shake the dry seed stalks and it rattles like a rattlesnake. That's
how the plant got one of its common names (rattlesnake weed). Perilla is often confused
with purple Basil and used for the same purposes. Gather the edible tender leaves from the
plant tops anytime. Gather entire plant in bloom and dry for later use.
Properties
Perilla is edible and medicinal. The leaves have
a very pleasant sweet taste and are used as a spice, cooked as potherbs or fried, and
combined with fish, rice, vegetables and soups. It is also chopped and combined with
gingerroot, then added to stir-fries, tempuras and salads in many Asian countries. The
plant also supplies a nutritious cooking oil from the seed, as well as giving color and
flavor to many pickled dishes. In the United States the essential oil of the plant is used
as a food flavoring in candies and sauces. It is used as a flavoring in dental products
and at one time, it was one of the main ingredients in sarsaparilla. The entire plant is
very nutritious, packed with vitamins and minerals, and one of the aldehyde isomers found
in Perilla is 2,000 times as sweet as sugar. There are many scientifically proven
medicinal uses for Perilla. It has been used for centuries in Oriental medicine as an
antiasthmatic, antibacterial, antidote, antimicrobial, antipyretic, antiseptic,
antispasmodic, antitussive, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, emollient, expectorant,
pectoral, restorative, stomachic and tonic. The plant constituents confirm these uses in
alternative medicine and
ongoing studies have revealed that this plant is useful in curing many cancers as well as
various other diseases and disorders. Further research has isolated such constituents as
apigenin, ascorbic-acid, beta-carotene, caffeic-acid, citral, dillapiol,
elemicin,
limonene, luteolin, myristicin, perillaldehyde, protocatechuic-acid, quercetin,
rosmarinic-acid, and more, to numerous to mention. It is a pungent, aromatic, warming
herb. An infusion of the plant is useful in the treatment of asthma, colds, cough and lung
afflictions, influenza prevention, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, food
poisoning and allergic reactions (especially from seafood), and to restore health and
balance. The stems are a traditional Chinese remedy for morning sickness and restless
fetus in pregnancy, though some say the herb should be avoided by pregnant women. Perilla
seed oil has been used in paints, varnishes, linoleum, printing ink, lacquers, and for
protective waterproof coatings on cloth. Volatile oils of the plant are also used in aroma
therapy and for perfume. The seed heads can be collected and dried for use in
arrangements, potpourris and wreaths. The crushed plant also makes an effective
insecticide.
Folklore
In Asia, centuries ago, ceremonies were conducted
before harvesting the plant, it was considered to be alive and was held as sacred, sent by
God as food and medicine to treat all ailments of man. Disrespect for the plant meant
death, anyone caught stepping on the plant would himself be trampled to death!
Recipe
"Medicinal" tea: To ¼ cup dry herb add 1 pint of boiling
water, allow to steep 10 to 15 min. Drink throughout the day for colds, flu, sore throat,
and congestion. Also can be boiled and the steam inhaled to clear the sinuses.
Article by Deb Jackson & Karen
Bergeron
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