With this unusual herb, you can add some exotic Asian flavors to your vegetable plot. This mint relative, also known as Shiso in Japan, has a complex flavor profile with hints of mint, clove, cumin, and citrus. This popular Asian vegetable’s leaves and flowers can be used in salads, fish dishes, tempura, and even cocktails and fruity desserts. Green leaves with red undersides grow on erect stems. It’s a simple and fast-growing annual herb that’s high in vitamins A, C, and riboflavin. Height: 90 cm (36″), width: 60 cm (24)
Sowing Information
Grow this tender perennial as an annual. Sow seed on the surface of good free-draining, seed compost. Cover with a fine sprinkling of vermiculite. Place in a propagator or seal container inside a polythene bag and place at 20-25C (68-77F) until after germination which takes 14-21 days. Do not exclude light, as this helps germination.
Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into 7.5cm (3in) pots and continue to grow on indoors in cooler conditions. Acclimatise to outside conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost, 30cm (12in) apart.
