Perilla leaf · Zi Su Ye
Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton · Leaves and leafy tips
Name and part used
An aromatic annual with a square stem and opposite toothed leaves, which may be green or purple. Leaves have a distinct aroma when gently crushed.
Traditional context
Dispersing cold and regulating qi or the stomach are traditional descriptions, not self-treatment for flu, food poisoning, or vomiting. HKBU records leaves and aerial parts in related entries; the plant has a hairy stem, toothed leaves, and aromatic character.
Modern evidence
Perilla essential-oil studies vary by cultivar and extraction; they do not represent treatment efficacy of dried leaves.
Safety
Allergy is possible; concentrated essential oil is not equivalent to leaf. Seek advice in pregnancy, medication use, or chronic illness.
Pairing in reference texts
Perilla leaf occurs in some exterior-releasing combinations with Sheng Jiang and Xiang Fu; pairing does not diagnose fever or vomiting.
Growing, care, and harvest timing
HKBU habitat record: Cultivated throughout the country, rarely wild. Distributed in parts from Hebei to the south of the Yangtze River. The medicinal materials are mainly produced in Jiangsu, Shandong, Hubei and etc Harvest and processing as recorded: Baisuzi: collected in autumn when fruits become mature, harvested aboveground part, threshed down the fruits, removed foreign matters, and sun-dried. Baisuye: collected in summer and autumn, placed in drafty area and dried in shade, or collected with tender stem, cut into small segments, and sun-dried. Harvested old stem in autumn when fruits become mature, removed pericarp and branches and leaves, and sun-dried
Source-recorded harvest/processing: Baisuzi: collected in autumn when fruits become mature, harvested aboveground part, threshed down the fruits, removed foreign matters, and sun-dried. Baisuye: collected in summer and autumn, placed in drafty area and dried in shade, or collected with tender stem, cut into small segments, and sun-dried. Harvested old stem in autumn when fruits become mature, removed pericarp and branches and leaves, and sun-dried
The reviewed source does not provide a complete species-specific sowing/growing routine, irrigation/fertilization schedule, or universal plant age. The page therefore does not infer care instructions or years to harvest; consult local cultivation guidance.
Open habitat and season source ↗FROM PLANT / SOURCE HABITAT TO DRIED MATERIAL · REFERENCE WORKFLOW
- Collect healthy leaves from authenticated Perilla frutescens before senescence; avoid plants of unknown pesticide history.
- Discard yellow, bruised, or insect-damaged leaves and remove soil and foreign matter.
- Shade-dry or use ventilated low heat to retain color and aroma; turn gently without crushing.
- When evenly dried, moisture-proof package and record source and harvest date.
These are post-harvest study notes, not directions to prepare a remedy for self-treatment. Processing reference ↗
How to read formula amounts
The cited sources do not provide a formula with specific amounts for this profile; no ratio is invented. Absence from the incompatibility list does not establish safety.
Habitat, season, and harvest in the HKBU botanical record
HKBU botanical record (translated summary): Flowering and fruiting dates: Flowering: August to November; fruiting: August to December Habitat and distribution: Cultivated throughout the country, rarely wild. Distributed in parts from Hebei to the south of the Yangtze River. The medicinal materials are mainly produced in Jiangsu, Shandong, Hubei and etc Harvest and processing as recorded: Baisuzi: collected in autumn when fruits become mature, harvested aboveground part, threshed down the fruits, removed foreign matters, and sun-dried. Baisuye: collected in summer and autumn, placed in drafty area and dried in shade, or collected with tender stem, cut into small segments, and sun-dried. Harvested old stem in autumn when fruits become mature, removed pericarp and branches and leaves, and sun-dried
Open botanical source ↗