Perilla Frutescens Var Crispa

Shiso is an aromatic East Asian annual with broad, serrated leaves that may be green, purple or deeply bronzed according to the strain. The foliage carries a distinctive flavour combining mint, basil, citrus and spice and is widely used in Japanese, Korean and other Asian cuisines for garnishing, wrapping and pickling. Slender late-summer flower spikes attract small insects and produce abundant seed. Ornamental as well as edible, Perilla frutescens var. crispa brings rich foliage colour to containers and kitchen gardens, though it can self-seed freely where winters are mild.