They Both look Awesome!!!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!!

Kylie

Yes, very lovely! Thank you for sharing your pretties with us. :)

~Tina

The brug looks great and I love your alocasia. Isn't that variety of perilla called sesame leaf or ggaennip? I had the green and purple varieties but that damn purple one has reseeded all over my yard and in containers! I don't think I'll ever be able to get rid of it.

Yes the Korean variety is generally referred to (at least by us) as "sesame" or "wild sesame." However, I don't believe it is actually related to sesame. The Japanese variety of perilla is called "shiso," and is possibly more common, but it has a different leaf shape and taste.

The purple leaf perilla does spread like wildfire. We have never given it a chance. However, our "sesame" will seed anywhere it gets the chance. It is helped by the birds. The goldfinches swarm it in the fall. Nonetheless, I would not call it invasive because it is so easy to control.

The gold finches are the reason I allow it to go to seed so I pay the price by having it spread everywhere. There's nothing prettier then a flock of gold finches visiting the garden. Is the purple variety edible? I bought the seed at the Korean market and it contained both green and purple. I use the green variety, mainly as a wrapper. I've never eaten it on it's own. The purple variety smells so much stronger to me but it is quite pretty. It looks a bit like Opal basil on steroids. lol

I've attempted to grow true sesame a few times, with with poor results, even when started early. I don't think I have a long enough growing season.

I have very little experience with the purple variety, but I am certain it is edible. I tried some from a neighbor's garden, but it did not pass the taste test. However, like you, we use sesame solely as a wrapper, and usually steam it in a stack of leaves, with a dash of spicy soy sauce mixture between each leaf. The purple variety, and the Japanese shiso seem to have thinner leaves that don't seem rugged enough to allow that kind of preparation.

Your brug looks very healthy, congrats!

Eloise,

Thanks, this plant has certainly thrived. I wish I had a before picture. Its success is even more remarkable since it ended up under an overflowing roof-line during the hurricane. The water bent it nearly to the ground. I assumed it would not recover, but it was upright within two days.