What is Perilla?
In the gardens and medicinal herb gardens of East Asian countries, one can always see a mysterious leafy herbaceous plant. It serves as the perfect touch to a sushi platter and is also a commonly used medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine cabinets. This is the perilla, which carries the civilization of a thousand years. This plant, which combines ornamental, edible, and medicinal values, is quietly becoming a new favorite in modern healthy living.
Botanical Characteristics of Perilla
Unique Morphological Structure
The stem of perilla is upright and sturdy, with a skin that presents a charming purple-red color, covered with fine villi. Its leaves are heart-shaped and wrinkled, with a sawtooth edge. There is a distinct color difference between the front and back, with the front being a deep purple with a metallic sheen, while the back is a dark red. This color difference not only has ornamental value but is also closely related to the distribution of secondary metabolites.
Growth Habit Characteristics
As a typical annual herb, perilla has a strong adaptability to the environment. It can grow within a temperature range of 15-30°C, with the most suitable temperature zone being 18-28°C. It has a wide tolerance for soil pH (5.5-7.5), can tolerate short-term flooding, and has a certain drought resistance. This dual adaptability makes it an ideal garden crop.
Multiple Application Values of Perilla
Model of Food and Medicine
Perilla leaves are rich in active ingredients such as rosmarinic acid and perillaldehyde. Clinical trials have proven that its decoction can inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. In traditional medicine, perilla leaves combined with ginger can expel cold and relieve the surface, while combined with hoelen can resolve dampness and harmonize the middle. Modern research has even found that its extract has potential interfering effects on neurodegenerative diseases.
Culinary Art Highlight
From Korean barbecue to Japanese sashimi, from Vietnamese spring rolls to Chinese steamed fish, the unique spicy aroma of perilla leaves can perfectly neutralize the greasiness. The oil extracted from its seeds is rich in alpha-linolenic acid (content up to 60%), and has become a new choice for high-end healthy edible oil. Ground dried leaves also serve as a natural food preservative.
Landscape Cultivation Application
The ornamental varieties of perilla have leaves with unpredictable color changes, from jade green to wine red gradients, suitable for creating colorful plant hedges. Dwarf varieties can be used as potted plants, with controlled plant height of 30-50cm, becoming a new favorite for vertical gardening on balconies. Its volatile odor can also repel mosquitoes, achieving a unity of functionality and aesthetics.
This herbaceous plant, which has crossed thousands of years, is integrating into modern life in a brand new posture. From medicinal value to culinary art, from ecological planting to landscape construction, the multidimensional value of perilla is still being continuously developed. As we savor the fragrance of perilla tea, we are also savoring the wisdom crystallization of the协同 evolution between humans and nature.