Shiso - Perilla Red
Shiso Red (Perilla frutescens var. crispa)
A striking, aromatic herb with deep red, frilled leaves and a bold, spicy‑herbal flavour — perfect for pickles, salads, sushi, garnishes, and vibrant summer dishes
🌿 Red Shiso, also known as Aka Shiso, is a beautifully coloured East Asian herb grown for its deep burgundy leaves, frilled texture, and bold, aromatic flavour. The taste is strong, herbaceous, and slightly spicy, often described as a mix of basil, cumin, anise, and citrus with a warm, earthy depth. Red Shiso is especially prized for pickling (such as umeboshi), colouring vinegars, flavouring rice dishes, and adding dramatic colour to salads and garnishes. It thrives in warm, sunny conditions and produces generous foliage throughout summer. Highly ornamental, wonderfully aromatic, and deeply rooted in Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cooking, Red Shiso is a must‑grow herb for adventurous cooks and vibrant summer gardens.
🌿 Leaves
The leaves have a strong, herbaceous, spicy‑cumin flavour with notes of basil, anise, and citrus.
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Essential for Japanese pickles, especially umeboshi
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Adds colour and aroma to rice dishes and sushi
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Delicious in salads, especially with cucumber or tofu
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Excellent in noodle bowls, ramen, and stir‑fries
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Beautiful as a fresh garnish for summer dishes
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Can be blended into herb oils, dressings, and marinades
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Used to colour and flavour vinegars and syrups
Leaf flavour: strong herbaceous, basil‑anise, cumin‑warm, citrus‑bright
🌼 Flowers & Buds
Edible, aromatic, and visually delicate.
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Used in tempura
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Add to salads for a soft herbal note
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Excellent pickled or used as a garnish
Flower flavour: mild, citrus‑herbal
🌱 Seeds
Warm, aromatic, and slightly nutty.
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Used in pickles and spice mixes
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Toasted seeds add a crunchy, herbal finish
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Young seed pods (“shiso berries”) are prized for pickling
Seed flavour: warm, herbal, lightly nutty
