Kaori Ao Oba Shiso (Perilla)

A lovely green-leafed Shiso from Japan. In Eastern medicine, Shiso is seen almost as a cure-all. The leaves are used fresh, salted, pickled, and dried in a variety of dishes, but especially rice. The seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and can also be used fresh or dried. Perilla makes a good companion near tomatoes, but is best just outside of the vegetable garden. Bees and butterflies love the tiny flowers that appear on the plants in late summer and early fall, but it readily self-seeds.