Perilla frutescens

Perilla frutescens, known as deulkkae (Korean: 들깨) or Korean perilla in Korea and as egoma (Japanese: エゴマ) in Japan, is a species of Perilla in the mint family Lamiaceae. It is an annual plant native to Southeast Asia and Indian highlands, and is traditionally grown in the Korean peninsula, southern China, Japan and India as a crop. A variety of this plant, P. frutescens var. crispa known as "shiso", is widely grown in Japan.

An edible plant, perilla is grown in gardens and attracts butterflies. It has a strong mint-like smell. The major volatile compound responsible for this characteristic aroma is perilla ketone, which is present in particularly high amounts in the leaves of Perilla frutescens described in this article.

In the United States, Perilla frutescens is a weed pest, toxic to cattle after ingestion.

Perilla is an annual plant growing 60–90 cm (24–35 in) tall, with stalks which are hairy and square.

The leaves are opposite, 7–12 cm (3–4+1⁄2 in) long and 5–8 cm (2–3 in) wide, with a broad oval shape, pointy ends, serrated (saw-toothed) margins, and long leafstalks. The leaves are green with occasional touches of purple on the underside.

The flowers bloom on racemes at the end of branches and the main stalk in late summer. The calyx, 3–4 mm (1⁄8–5⁄32 in) long, consist of upper three sepals and the hairy lower two. The corolla is 4–5 mm (5⁄32–3⁄16 in) long with its lower lip longer than the upper. Two of the four stamens are long.

The fruit is a schizocarp, 2 mm (1⁄16 in) in diameter, and with reticulate pattern on the outside. Perilla seeds can be soft or hard, being white, grey, brown, and dark brown in colour and globular in shape. 1000 seeds weigh about 4 g (1⁄8 oz).

Perilla seeds contain about 38-45% lipid.