
What is perilla mint?
Perilla mint is an annual weed prevalent in pastures, periphery of woodlots and occasionally, in gardens and other disturbed fields. It can be easily identified by its ribbed, square stems and broad leaves, arranged oppositely with a toothed margin.
Where is perilla native to?
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. An edible plant, perilla is grown in gardens and attracts butterflies. It is aromatic with a strong mint-like smell.
What does a perilla plant look like?
Perilla mint plants ( Perilla frutescens) may also be grown as ornamentals due to their erect habitat and green or purplish-green to red serrated leaves. Growing perilla mint also has a distinctive minty aroma, especially when mature.
Is perilla mint toxic to cows?
These plants emit a distinctive minty odor, especially when mature. Perilla mint is primarily a weed of pastures, hay fields, fencerows, and roadsides. This plant is extremely toxic to all kinds of cattle, sheep, and horses. Arranged oppositely along the stem, green in color, most often with a distinct purple tinge.

Where does Perilla grow?
Perilla frutescens, commonly called deulkkae, perilla or Korean perilla, 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.
Is perilla mint invasive?
Also called perilla mint, beefsteak plant is a traditional Asian crop used in cooking and is often planted as an ornamental. It readily escapes cultivation and has become a problematic invasive plant in natural areas across the mid-Atlantic region and elsewhere.
Is perilla mint edible?
Is Perilla mint poisonous to humans? Perilla mint plant is toxic, and the flowers are the most dangerous. Perilla flowers can cause respiratory distress syndrome. The Perilla plant has ketones that can damage the lungs through inflammation.
How do you identify perilla mint?
Perilla Mint Identification It can be easily identified by its ribbed, square stems and broad leaves, arranged oppositely with a toothed margin. The leaves vary in color from green to purple, especially when found growing in the shade, and boast a minty aroma when crushed.
Is perilla poisonous to dogs?
Perilla mint is used in Asian cooking and grows in USDA zones 5 through 10. This plant, while used for its minty flavor, is considered toxic to dogs and livestock, so avoid it in your garden, warns the Colorado Water Garden Society.
Does perilla grow in the US?
Perilla frutescens is a monotypic species native to Asia, which has been used as an ornamental and is naturalized in most of the eastern United States. In the west, it is found in the wild in one county in Washington state.
Can perilla be eaten raw?
Perilla leaves can be sliced raw and added to salads or sliced and mixed into savory pancakes, bread, and stir-fries. They can also be deep-fried in batter and consumed as a crunchy side dish.
Are any mint plants poisonous to humans?
The Mint family (Lamiaceae) is probably one of the safest in the world. However, several members can be toxic in high dosages or in the case of pregnancy including Creeping Charley (Glechoma hederacea), Perilla (Perilla frutescens), Germander (Teucrium spp.)
What is Perilla leaf controversy?
There's been a fierce debate going on for months now on Korean Internet. It's called, “The perilla leaf debate” or 깻잎 논쟁. It's about an imaginary situation in which you're eating with your partner and your friend. One side dish on the table is pickled perilla leaves ☝ (marinated in soy sauce & chili flakes).
What does perilla mint smell like?
Perilla frutescens An erect herb with distinctive green or purplish-green leaves with toothed margins. These plants emit a distinctive minty odor, especially when mature.
Are there poisonous plants that look like mint?
There is at least one poisonous doppelganger, and it can even hybridize with edible mints, making unknown breeds of mint-like plants unsafe: Pennyroyal. So, it sounds like, for safety reasons, you should not eat unknown mint-like plants. I cook with Pennyroyal.
What is perilla good for?
Perilla oil suppresses the production of chemical mediator in the allergy and inflammatory responses. These essential fatty acids have been associated with benefits in a wide range of inflammatory conditions, heart diseases, colitis/Crohn's disease, asthma, allergies, antimicrobial, anticancer etc.
Is perilla mint poisonous to cows?
Perilla is very poisonous to cattle and other ruminants, as well as horses. All plant parts are toxic, especially the flowering structures. Dried plants in hay can be toxic, but the greatest risk is associated with consumption of fresh plant material, especially if flowers and fruit are present.
Is perilla mint poisonous to horses?
Perilla mint plants are toxic to horses, and all plant parts (especially the flowers and fruits) contain the toxin. The greatest risk is consumption of fresh plant material during late summer or early fall. Perilla mint plants harvested with hay also pose a risk to animals ingesting the dried plants.
Are perilla leaves toxic?
Perilla mint is highly toxic when consumed by cattle, other ruminants, and horses. The entirety of the plant is toxic, with the flowering structures being especially potent. Perilla mint is more likely to be consumed in the fall, because of a seasonal decrease in forage availability.
What are perilla leaves good for?
Perilla is used for treating asthma. It is also used for nausea, sunstroke, inducing sweating, and to reduce muscle spasms. In foods, perilla is used as a flavoring.
Where can I find perilla mint?from aces.edu
This non-native species has a history in culinary, ornamental, and medicinal markets. Perilla mint has escaped cultivation and is highly adaptable in the Southeastern climate. The plants are often found in shaded or semi-shaded woodland understories and along fence lines, streams, and natural areas, including pastures and hayfields (figures 3 and 4). Populations are frequently found in disturbed, fertile areas around hay rings, feed lots, and barns (figure 5).
How tall is Perilla mint?from aces.edu
Plants commonly reach an average height of 2 ft and can be identified by their coarsely serrated leaf edges, which occur opposite each other along a square stem (figure 1). Perilla mint produces flower spikes that are usually approximately 6 inches long and contain many small white or purple flowers. Flowers often appear between July to September. Plants can be most easily identified by their purplish color on the undersides of leaves (figure 2) and their minty aroma when the leaves are crushed. Additionally, perilla mint is recognizable in winter months from dormant carcasses, which is also indicative of where future populations will likely emerge the following spring.
How much perilla mint is fatal?from extension.wvu.edu
Animal fatality occurred within three days when a 174-pound calf was fed with 5 pounds of perilla mint hay in the seed stage along with 5 pounds of regular hay.
What herbicides are used to kill perilla mint?from aces.edu
Several herbicides are effective in controlling perilla mint. Preemergent options include herbicide active ingredients such as aminopyralid, dicamba, imazapic, and picloram (table 1). These treatments should be applied prior to seed germination, which can occur as early as late-April, depending on latitude or when soil temperatures are between 68°F and 77°F. For each of these preemergent options, rain is necessary following application in order to move herbicides into the soil.
How does perilla mint affect cattle?from aces.edu
Depending on the amount consumed and/or animal susceptibility, death may occur within a couple days or in as little as a few hours. Little is known about the amount of perilla mint needed to cause detrimental effects in livestock, nor about the factors that make some cattle more susceptible to its toxicity than others. Nonetheless, plants are generally more toxic as they enter the reproductive phase of growth, which also coincides with periods of lower forage quality and quantity, as well as increasing temperatures. Consequently, it is during this time that livestock often congregate in shaded areas that may be infested with perilla mint, putting animals at a greater risk of consumption.
How many cows died from perilla mint?from extension.wvu.edu
In fall 2018, a request was made by a veterinarian in the eastern panhandle region to help identify poisonous weeds in three different pastures where there were 35 cow fatalities. At all three locations, perilla mint was noted in large quantities where animals grazed actively.
Is perilla mint poisonous?from aces.edu
Perilla mint is highly toxic when consumed by cattle, other ruminants, and horses. The entirety of the plant is toxic , with the flowering structures being especially potent. Perilla mint is more likely to be consumed in the fall, because of a seasonal decrease in forage availability.
What is a perilla mint?
Perilla Mint Identification. Perilla mint is an annual weed prevalent in pastures, periphery of woodlots and occasionally, in gardens and other disturbed fields. It can be easily identified by its ribbed, square stems and broad leaves, arranged oppositely with a toothed margin. The leaves vary in color from green to purple, ...
When does perilla mint bloom?
It comes to bloom from July to October and is especially toxic to animals when in bloom. Although not all varieties of perilla mint are considered toxic to animals, and its toxicity can vary due to environmental conditions, this plant must be controlled in pastures or other areas frequented by animals.
How much perilla mint is fatal?
Animal fatality occurred within three days when a 174-pound calf was fed with 5 pounds of perilla mint hay in the seed stage along with 5 pounds of regular hay.
How to control perilla mint?
Perilla mint is most susceptible to control during the spring months when the plants are young and actively growing. Once they come to bloom, the plants become hardy and more difficult to control. As an annual, it can be removed mechanically by taking advantage of its shallow root system. Herbicides, such as 2,4-D (low-volatile ester formulations) or tank-mixtures containing both 2,4-D and dicamba (several formulations) along with a surfactant, provide good control when applied in early spring. Herbicides containing aminopyrlid (Milestone, Grazon Next) also provide effective control, but may persist in treated hay and in manure derived from animals that were fed with treated forage or hay.
Is perilla mint a problem?
Perilla mint continues to be a problem weed in West Virginia pastures. Multiple animal fatalities were attributed to this weed in 2019 and 2018.
Is perilla mint toxic to livestock?
Can you think of a plant with medicinal and culinary attributes, yet it’s often toxic to livestock? The weed in question is perilla mint ( Perilla frutescens ). Perilla mint is becoming more and more common in pastures across West Virginia, causing concern for some.
Can animals eat perilla mint?
Sometimes known as beefsteak plant, Chinese basil or purple mint, perilla mint was introduced from East Asia for its ornamental and culinary values. Usually, animals do not consume this plant, but poisoning can occur when more desirable plants are in short supply. After consumption, livestock can develop symptoms related to respiratory distress such as acute inflammation of the lungs, causing fatality in some.
How tall is a perilla mint?
Flowers of the growing perilla mint bloom from July to October and are white to purple, attaining their maximum height of 6 inches (15 cm.) to 3 feet (1 m .) tall before dying off during the coming frost. After the first year of growing perilla mint plants, they will easily self-seed in successive seasons.
What is the flavor of perilla mint?
Growing perilla mint has a distinctive minty aroma, especially when mature. In Japanese cuisine, where shiso is a common ingredient, there are two types of shiso: Aojiso and Akajiso (green and red).
What is the oil extracted from mint?
Prized in Asian countries not only for its culinary uses, the oil extracted from these mint plants is also utilized as a valuable fuel source, while the leaves themselves are used medicinally and as a food coloring. The seeds from the perilla beefsteak plant are eaten by people as well as a bird food.
Is perilla mint oil good for pickled food?
Perilla added to condiments not only colors the product but adds an antimicrobial agent to pickled food. Oil from perilla mint is not only a fuel source in some countries but has recently been found to be an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and is now sold as such to health conscious Western consumers.
Can you eat perilla beefsteak?
The seeds from the perilla beefsteak plant are eaten by people as well as a bird food. Perilla mint plants ( Perilla frutescens) may be grown as ornamentals due to their erect habitat and green or purplish green to red serrated leaves. Growing perilla mint has a distinctive minty aroma, especially when mature.
Is Perilla mint a weed?
Perilla mint plants are often found growing along fences, roadsides, in hay fields or pastures and are, hence, more often termed a weed in other countries. These mint plants are also quite toxic to cattle and other livestock, so it’s no wonder why shiso is considered more of a noxious, undesirable weed in some areas of the world.
Is perilla mint oil a good substitute for linseed oil?
Additionally, perilla mint plant oil is used similarly to tung or linseed oil and also in paints, lacquers, varnish, inks, linoleum, and waterproof coating on cloth. This unsaturated oil is slightly unstable but is 2,000 times sweeter than sugar and four to eight times sweeter than saccharin. This high sugar content makes it a great candidate for alcohol production for consumption, but more usually used in the manufacture of fragrances or perfumes.
When does perilla mint grow?
Perilla mint thrives in late summer, when pastures are frequently dry and forage is more scarce — which can lead to an increase in consumption. It typically grows in shaded areas along creeks, the edges of wooded areas and in fence rows, but it can expand across pastures. HOW TO TREAT IT.
What is a perilla mint?
Perilla mint (Perilla frutescens), also known as beefsteak plant, is an annual broadleaf weed. It has a distinctive mint scent, dark-green to purplish square stems and serrated leaves with a purple tint. Mature plants reach 3 to 3.5 feet tall and produce small, white to purple flowers.
How to control perilla mint?
Don’t wait to manage this weed until you have toxicity problems with this weed. The optimum time to scout for and control perilla mint is early summer when the plants are small. It is more difficult to control in the late summer and early fall when it becomes even more toxic to livestock. Treat it with 16 fluid ounces of DuraCor ® herbicide per acre. Increase the rate as weeds become more mature. While DuraCor has no grazing restrictions, it’s important to keep cattle out of the pasture following treatment because cattle are more likely to graze the plant when it’s withering.
What herbicide kills perilla mint?
Kill perilla mint in your pastures before it can do the same to your herd. Trust in DuraCor ® herbicide to remove tough weeds that threaten your operation.
Is perilla mint safe for horses?
It’s critical for your herd’s health to control perilla mint. It contains ketones that cause acute respiratory distress syndrome in cattle, other ruminants and horses. It also remains toxic in dried hay. Animals begin to develop symptoms — including shallow and rapid breathing, grunting noises and foaming of the mouth — in 24 hours.
Can perilla mint kill ruminants?
Species Specifics: Perilla mint. Kill perilla mint in your pastures before it can do the same to your herd. Trust in DuraCor®herbicideto remove tough weeds that threaten your operation. FAST FACTS. All parts of the perilla mint plant are toxic to ruminant animals, especially the flowers — making early control even more critical.
Where is the Korean Perilla native to?
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.
How big are perilla seeds?
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. flowers.
What is the name of the plant that adds ten years to a person's lifespan?
Japan. In Japan, the plant is called egoma (荏胡麻), and used far less compared to shiso ( Perilla frutescens var. crispa ). In the Tōhoku regions of northeastern Japan, it is known as jūnen ("ten years"), because it was believed to add ten years to a person's lifespan.
What are the leaves of a perilla called?
The leaves are called perilla, perilla leaves, or Korean perilla leaves in English, and kkaennip ( 깻잎; literally "leaf of kkae ") in Korean. The leaves are called sūyè ( 苏叶) or sūzǐyè ( 苏子叶) in Chinese.
What is the Korean name for a perilla plant?
Along with other plants in the genus Perilla, the plant is commonly called "perilla". It is also referred to as Korean perilla, due to its extensive cultivation in Korea and use in Korean cuisine. In Korean, the name kkae ( 깨) refers to both the plant and the seed of sesame and perilla. Sesame is called chamkkae ( 참깨; literally "true kkae "), while perilla is called deulkkae ( 들깨; literally "wild kkae "). Because of this, deulkkae is sometimes mistranslated as "wild sesame". It is called egoma ( 荏胡麻) in Japanese, and, in Chinese, the plant is called zĭsū ( 紫苏) or sūzǐ ( 苏子 ).
What are the compounds in perilla leaves?
Other compounds include perillaldehyde, limonene, linalool, beta-caryophyllene, menthol, and alpha-pinene. The crispa variety is differentiated by leaf and stem colors, which vary from green to red to purple, indicating the presence of anthocyanins.
What is perilla oil?
Perilla oil made from toasted perilla seeds is used as a cooking oil and as a condiment. In Korean-style western food, perilla leaves are sometimes used to substitute basil, and the seed powder and oil is used in salad dressings as well as in dipping sauces.
Why does perilla have a minty flavor?
As mentioned above, perilla has a minty flavor. This is because perilla is part of the mint family. Most pests don’t like mint which is why many people use it as a pest deterrent. Perilla can have a similar effect as other types of mint which is why most pests and diseases leave it alone.
How tall does a perilla grow?
Growing Conditions for Perilla. Perilla is an annual which thrives in all planting zones. It can grow from two to three feet in height and resembles a larger version of basil. It will grow in full to partial sun but should only be planted outdoors after all threat of frost has passed.
What does rust look like on a perilla plant?
Rust is another slight concern with perilla. This disease is exactly what it sounds like. The perilla plant will begin to have spots appear on it which resemble a rust color.
What is the yellowing on my perilla plant?
Downey mildew is a potential threat to perilla. It shows up on the foliage of the plant as yellowing spots. Dark fuzz also grows on the underside of the leaves. In time, the dark fuzz will take over and eventually the plant will look as though it’s covered in mildew.
How to keep perilla plants healthy?
The only other tasks you’ll need to perform to ensure the health of your perilla plant is to fertilize it once a month, deadhead the flowers on the plant to encourage new growth, and remove the tops off the plant. By pinching the ends off the plant, it will encourage the herb to grow out and become full.
How long does it take for perilla seeds to germinate?
The seeds can take anywhere from one to three weeks to germinate. Perilla seeds should be started indoors as most other seeds are. Place them in moist potting soil inside grow trays. Don’t cover the seeds heavily with dirt because they need some light to germinate.
What happens when weeds take over a perilla plant?
When weeds take over, your plant must compete for nutrients. Avoid this by regularly weeding the area perilla is growing in to ensure the plant gets all it needs.
How tall is Perilla mint?
Plants commonly reach an average height of 2 ft and can be identified by their coarsely serrated leaf edges, which occur opposite each other along a square stem (figure 1). Perilla mint produces flower spikes that are usually approximately 6 inches long and contain many small white or purple flowers. Flowers often appear between July to September. Plants can be most easily identified by their purplish color on the undersides of leaves (figure 2) and their minty aroma when the leaves are crushed. Additionally, perilla mint is recognizable in winter months from dormant carcasses, which is also indicative of where future populations will likely emerge the following spring.
What color is a perilla mint leaf?
Figure 2. Underneath view of a perilla mint leaf, showing the purple coloring.
What herbicides are used to kill perilla mint?
Several herbicides are effective in controlling perilla mint. Preemergent options include herbicide active ingredients such as aminopyralid, dicamba, imazapic, and picloram (table 1). These treatments should be applied prior to seed germination, which can occur as early as late-April, depending on latitude or when soil temperatures are between 68°F and 77°F. For each of these preemergent options, rain is necessary following application in order to move herbicides into the soil.
How does perilla mint affect cattle?
Depending on the amount consumed and/or animal susceptibility, death may occur within a couple days or in as little as a few hours. Little is known about the amount of perilla mint needed to cause detrimental effects in livestock, nor about the factors that make some cattle more susceptible to its toxicity than others. Nonetheless, plants are generally more toxic as they enter the reproductive phase of growth, which also coincides with periods of lower forage quality and quantity, as well as increasing temperatures. Consequently, it is during this time that livestock often congregate in shaded areas that may be infested with perilla mint, putting animals at a greater risk of consumption.
Is perilla mint poisonous?
Perilla mint is highly toxic when consumed by cattle, other ruminants, and horses. The entirety of the plant is toxic , with the flowering structures being especially potent. Perilla mint is more likely to be consumed in the fall, because of a seasonal decrease in forage availability.
Where does Perilla mint grow?
Perilla mint is an erect, herbaceous annual that can grow to heights of 2 feet. It is native to East Asia. The cotyledons are longer than they are broad, with the broadest portion near the tip. The leaves are simple, opposite and can be purple or green tinged with purple, making it an attractive plant. Leaves have coarsely serrated (toothed) leaf margins pointed toward the tip and can be up to 5 inches wide and 7 inches long. Leaves are egg-shaped, with the largest part nearest the base. The stems of perilla mint are square in cross section, erect, hairy, somewhat branched and green or purple. Many small, white to purplish-white flowers with a ring of hairs in the throat are clustered in the terminals of these plants. Reproduction is by seed. Perilla mint has a shallow taproot and fibrous roots.
When to control perilla mint?
Control of perilla mint in pastures, barn lots and forage fields is very important. The best time to scout for and control perilla mint is late April to early June. It is very difficult to control in late summer and early fall when it also becomes the most dangerous to livestock. If control measures are not taken early, it becomes even more crucial in late summer to maintain an adequate supply of quality feed for cattle and other farm animals so they will not feed on these toxic weeds. Grazing in infested pastures should be limited during late summer when perilla mint is flowering. Avoid harvesting forages in areas infested with these weeds. Mowing perilla mint plants before seed is produced will help prevent further reproduction and spread. Please refer to the Weed Control Manual for Tennessee Row Crops (Extension PB 1580) for management recommendations. Another good resource for management of this weed is in the Hay Crop and Pasture Weed Management Guide (Extension PB 1521).
Is perilla mint poisonous to cattle?
Perilla mint causes more cattle deaths in Tennessee than any other toxic plant. Perilla is very poisonous to cattle and other ruminants, as well as horses. All plant parts are toxic, especially the flowering structures. Dried plants in hay can be toxic, but the greatest risk is associated with consumption of fresh plant material, especially if flowers and fruit are present. Perilla mint contains ketones that cause acute respiratory distress syndrome in cattle (ARDS), also called panting disease. Treatment is often ineffective. Although these plants can occur anywhere in a pasture or feed lot, they typically favor semi-shaded environments, and are most frequently located around farm structures, edges of woods and along fence rows. Cases of poisoning from these weeds are a concern during the late summer and early fall when other grasses and forages might be in short supply and the perilla mint is flowering. Cattle will normally not feed on these toxic weeds unless there is a shortage of other feed. Therefore, it is crucial to have a ready supply of quality feed available for farm animals during this time of the year.
Is perilla mint a weed?
It is an escaped ornamental and that is how it has become a weed pest in Tennessee. These plants give off a distinctive, aromatic, minty odor when the stems and leaves are crushed. It is a
