*Perilla frutescens (Linnaeus) Britton. Common name: Perilla, Beefsteak-plant, Shiso. Phenology: Aug-Oct; Oct-Dec. Habitat: Moist disturbed areas. Distribution: Native of India.
Origin/Endemic status: E. and se. Asia
Taxonomy Comments: Var. crispa (Bentham) Deane (leaves purple above and below; leaf margins laciniate-dentate and also crisped) and var. frutescens (leaves purple below; leaf margins dentate, not crisped) are sometimes recognized; these appear to be recently-derived cultivars rather than taxonomically distinct entities.
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Fl6, G, GrPl, K4, Mi, Mo3, Pa, RAB, S, Tn, Tx, W, WH3; = Perilla fructescens — NcTx, orthographic variant; > Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton var. crispa (Benth.) W.Deane — F, Il, NE, NY, Tat, WV; > Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton var. frutescens — F, Il, NE, NY, WV; Ocimum frutescens Linnaeus — (basionym)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACU
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU
- Great Plains: FAC
- Midwest: FAC
- Northcentral & Northeast: FAC
Heliophily ⓘ: 5
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect colony-forming annual of moist disturbed areas. Native of India.
Stems: Stems stout, 4-angled and grooved, branched, sometimes purple-tinged, smooth or covered with downward-pointing hairs.
Leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, broadly oval with pointed tips, to 5 in. long, wrinkled, coarsely toothed, green to purplish-burgundy and aromatic.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in long (to 6 in.) terminal and upper axillary racemes; pink to pale purple; to 1/4 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; tubular, the corolla opening to a notched upper lip, notched lower lip, and 2 lateral lobes. The dark green-burgundy, densely hairy, toothed, tubular calyx is nearly as long as the corolla, and there are 4 pink-tipped stamens.
Fruits:
Comments: This invasive annual spreads easily; pulling before flowering/seed set is effective.
Height: 1-3 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect colony-forming annual of moist disturbed areas. Native of India.
stems: Stems stout, 4-angled and grooved, branched, sometimes purple-tinged, smooth or covered with downward-pointing hairs.
leaves: Leaves opposite, petiolate, broadly oval with pointed tips, to 5 in. long, wrinkled, coarsely toothed, green to purplish-burgundy and aromatic.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in long (to 6 in.) terminal and upper axillary racemes; pink to pale purple; to 1/4 in. long; bilaterally symmetric; tubular, the corolla opening to a notched upper lip, notched lower lip, and 2 lateral lobes. The dark green-burgundy, densely hairy, toothed, tubular calyx is nearly as long as the corolla, and there are 4 pink-tipped stamens.
fruits:
comments: This invasive annual spreads easily; pulling before flowering/seed set is effective.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: India