Perilla (scientific name: Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt.) is an annual herb in the family Labiatae, genus Perilla. The stem is 0.3-2 meters tall, green or purple, obtusely 4-angled, 4-sulcate, densely villous. Leaves broadly ovate or orbicular, 7-13 centimeters long, 4.5-10 centimeters wide, apex mucronate or acute, lateral veins 7-8 pairs, those located in the lower part of the slightly closer, obliquely ascending; petiole 3-5 centimeters long, abaxially flattened, densely villous. Verticillasters 2-flowered, forming terminal and axillary racemes 1.5-15 cm long, densely villous, biased to one side; bracts broadly ovoid or suborbicular, ca. 4 mm long and wide, apex mucronate, externally reddish-brown glandular punctate, glabrous, margin membranous; pedicels 1.5 mm long, densely pilose. Calyx campanulate, 10-veined, ca. 3 mm, straight, proximally villous, interspersed with yellow glandular dots. Style apex equally 2-lobed. Disk fingerlike dilated anteriorly. Nutlets subglobose, gray-brown, ca. 1.5 mm in diam. Fl. 8-Nov, fr. 8-Dec.

Distributed in China, Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Japan, and Korea. It is widely cultivated throughout China. Perilla is adaptable, not strict on soil requirements, in the better-drained sandy loam, loam, clay soil can grow well, suitable for soil pH 6.0-6.5. more resistant to high temperatures, the growth of the appropriate temperature of 25 ℃.

Perilla can be used for medicine and spice. The medicinal part of the stem and leaves and seeds are mainly, the leaves for sweating, cough, aromatic stomach diuretic, analgesic, sedative, detoxification, treatment of colds; stalks have the function of calming the air to stabilize the fetus; son can suppress cough, expectorant, asthma, dispersal of the spirit of dullness. The leaves are also used for food, and cooking with meat can increase the flavor of the latter. Seeds of the oil extracted, the name of the oil of soursop, for food, but also has an antiseptic effect, for industrial use.