Perilla frutescens nankinensis
Purple Shiso
an annual or perennial member of the Perilla genus in the family Labiatae.
Taxonomy and growth
Uses
Toxicity
Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
There have been cases of toxicity, including dermatitis, pulmonary oedema, respiratory distress and even death following ingestion by cattle and horses[18].
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Edible young leaves and seedlings - raw or cooked[19][3][8][10]. The flavour is strange to western palates at first, some people detecting cinnamon, others coriander or citrus[13]. Seedlings are added to salads, older leaves are used as a garnish or flavouring[13]. Older leaves are also salted and used as a condiment for tofu and as a garnish for tempura[10]. Leaves from purple cultivars are used to colour preserved fruits[16]. The leaves can also be dried for later use[13]. The leaves contain about 3.1% protein, 0.8% fat, 4.1% carbohydrate, 1.1% ash[9]. Immature flower clusters are used as a garnish for soups and chilled tofu[10]. Older flower clusters are fried and eaten[10]. The seeds are preserved in salt or are used as a spice in pickles, tempura and miso[10][13]. They are one of the ingredients in 'Shichimi' or 'seven spice' mixture[13]. The seed can also be eaten cooked[2][8]. Seeds from purple-leafed forms of the plant are preferred for culinary use[16]. The seed contains about 21.5% protein, 43.4% fat, 11.3% carbohydrate, 4.4% ash[9]. An edible drying oil is obtained from the seed[19][5][10]. It is rich in linolenic acid[21]. The plant yields an essential oil which is used as a food flavouring in candies and sauces[10]. An edible purple dye is obtained from the plant[11][19][22]. The part of the plant is not specified, but it is almost certainly the leaves[K].
- Product or use
- Colouring
- Product or use
- Condiment
- Product or use
- Oil
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Plant part
- Seed
Medicinal uses
Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The leaves, stems and seeds of shiso are often used in Oriental medicine. It is a pungent, aromatic, warming herb that is antibacterial, antidote, antipyretic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitussive, aromatic, carminative, diaphoretic, emollient, expectorant, pectoral, stomachic and tonic[3][4][6][7][14][16]. The leaves are used in the treatment of colds, chest stuffiness, vomiting, abdominal pain etc[7]. The seed is antiasthmatic, antitussive, emollient and expectorant[7]. It is used internally in the treatment of asthma, colds and chills, nausea, abdominal pain, food poisoning and allergic reactions (especially from seafood), bronchitis and constipation[14][16]. The stems are a traditional Chinese remedy for morning sickness[16].]. This herb should be avoided by pregnant women[15].
- Product or use
- Antibacterial
- Product or use
- Antipyretic
- Product or use
- Antispasmodic
- Product or use
- Aromatic
- Product or use
- Carminative
- Product or use
- Diaphoretic
- Product or use
- Emollient
- Product or use
- Expectorant
- Product or use
- Pectoral
- Product or use
- Stomachic
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
A drying oil obtained from the seed is used in making paints, varnishes, water proofing etc[19][21][2][5][16]. The plant yields 0.3 - 1.3% essential oil, which contains 20% citral[17]. It is used as a food flavouring and in dental products[16].
- Product or use
- Essential
- Product or use
- Oil
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - China.
- Habitat
- Banks of streams and wet places[23].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 8+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Surface-sow or only lightly cover the seed in mid spring in a greenhouse. The seed germinates best at 20°c, though it also succeeds at slightly lower temperatures[13]. Germination is usually quick, prick out the seedlings into trays or individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer[200, K]. Give the plants some protection such as a cloche until they are growing away well. The seed has a short viability and should be used when less than a year old[13].
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a light soil[1][13]. Requires a rich well-drained moisture-retentive soil in full sun[12]. Plants require a well-drained soil but do not need particularly fertile soil[13]. Prefers an acid soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6[13]. The plant is not frost hardy and requires temperatures above 18°c if it is to grow well[13]. The plant requires short days in order to flower[13]. Shiso is often cultivated in the Orient as a food flavouring. This is a very ornamental form of the plant with particularly deep red leaves[23][13]. Shiso is also cultivated for the oil obtained from its seed[20][5]. It is sometimes used in sub-tropical bedding schemes in Britain[1].
References
F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden 1986-00-00
? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X
Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press 1952-00-00
Kariyone. T. Atlas of Medicinal Plants.
Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00
Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre
Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00
Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00
Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm
Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00
? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00
Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202
Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00