Botanical profile

Perilla

Latin name
Perilla frutescens
Common name
Perilla
Type
Annual
Family
Lamiaceae

Perilla is an annual aromatic plant highly valued for its decorative foliage, often green, purple, or bicolored depending on the variety, and its distinctive fragrance with fresh, spicy, and slightly aniseed notes. Widely used in Asian cuisine, particularly Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese, it can accompany salads, sushi, fresh rolls, marinades, rice dishes, noodles, fish, grilled meats, and fermented recipes. Its colorful foliage also adds great ornamental value to vegetable gardens, herb containers, planters, and edible flower beds.

Easy to grow during the warm season, perilla prefers a sunny to lightly partially shaded location, in fertile, fresh, and well-drained soil. It appreciates regular watering to produce tender, fragrant foliage that is pleasant to harvest. Pot cultivation is ideal on a terrace or balcony, especially for keeping leaves close at hand near the kitchen. Frequent harvesting of young shoots helps maintain a more compact, denser, and more productive plant.

Both aromatic, decorative, and very versatile, perilla is perfect for gardeners looking for an original herb full of character. Its unique foliage adds color, texture, and an exotic flavor to fresh recipes as well as cooked dishes. It's an excellent plant to enrich a gourmet garden, an urban vegetable patch, or a herb collection with a variety that is as beautiful as it is useful.

Care guide

Care level
Easy

Choosing this plant

Main benefit
Colourful aromatic foliage with a spicy taste, ideal for Asian cuisine
Vegetable garden, herbs, balcony, container, Asian cuisine, ornamental foliage
Container growing
Excellent container plant in a well-drained pot
Seasonal care
Harvest young leaves as needed; pinch stems to encourage a bushy habit; cut flowers to prolong leaf production
Growing conditions

Light, soil, water and hardiness

Hardiness zone
Not hardy
Exposure
Full sun to partial shade
Watering
Regular; keep the soil slightly moist without waterlogging
Humidity
Average moisture; prefers cool, well-drained soil
Fertilization
Compost at sowing; light fertilization in pots during growth
Soil type
Fertile, light, fresh, and well-drained soil
Soil pH
Slightly acidic to neutral
Minimum temperature
32 °F
Propagation method
Direct drilling
Plant appearance

Blooming, foliage and shape

Blooming period
Summer to Fall
Flower color
White to pale pink
Fruiting
Aromatic seeds at the end of the season
Foliage color
Green or purple depending on the cultivar
Foliage type
Obsolete
Shape
Upright, bushy, branched habit
Garden structure

Size and growth

Height
45 to 75 cm (18 to 30 inches)
Width
30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 inches)
Growth rate
Rapid growth
Vegetable garden and yield

Companion planting, spacing and harvest

Companion plants
Thai basil, cilantro, chives, chili peppers
Spacing
30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 inches)
Harvest period
Leaves from spring to autumn
Not recommended for pets
Not recommended for pets

Pets

The availability of our plants varies depending on arrivals, seasons, nursery production and supplier availability. Some varieties may be offered for a limited time only, depending on their natural cycle or current stock. These plant profiles are designed to guide and inspire you when choosing plants for the garden, landscaping projects, containers or long-lasting outdoor arrangements.