Tía Tô Shiso - Vietnamese Shiso (Perilla frutescens)

Tía Tô Shiso - Vietnamese Shiso (Perilla frutescens): Shiso was introduced to Japan (to which we owe its widespread diffusion) from Southeast Asia via China during the Tang dynasty, which prospered between the 7th and 10th centuries, profoundly influencing Japanese society.
Shiso was originally used to produce oil, in the species P. frutescens var. frutuscens, called Egoma , while Tía Tô is probably the cultivar from which the var. Crispa, or " Japanese shiso," was later developed, which has more tender leaves and a more delicate flavor, in keeping with Japanese culinary tradition.
Tía Tô has the largest leaves of the species, intensely scented, and firm but not leathery. The upper surface is bright green, while the lower surface is pale, sometimes tinged with red ( Jeok Ssam Ip, the bicolor shiso from Korea, was probably also selected from this cultivar). In the field, it is a late-seeded cultivar, therefore productive and long-lived. Full sun is not recommended for this plant, as it requires consistently moist soil, especially in the early stages of development. It is suitable for potting, but in this case, it would be better to consider the Japanese and Korean varieties, which are less vigorous and easier to manage.
I personally love this shiso and many of our guest chefs have preferred it to all other varieties.