When grown together, the green and red will produce the bronze.
Bronze Perilla.
Interesting. What do you use red perilla for? So far I have it growing everywhere but haven't used it.
I don't personally use it as I'm not terribly handy in the kitchen (coff-coff). I just love perilla, red, green or in-between. The metallic purples can deepen to almost black under good conditions.
I know that it is used a lot in Japanese cookery: the green more so as flavoring and the red for coloring food (like pickled ginger).
I think that one could try it in recipes that call for cilantro or Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides) for a change of pace.......it seems to be in that area of flavors. Toss a bit of chopped red into a salad. One might just be inspired to experiment.......try ot here and there.
I'd like to know what it tastes like steamed, so I'll be trying that, I think.
I have three of the bronze ones potted up to segregate them form the reds and greens during blooming so I can see what comes up next year from the purebred bronze one.
Not a good picture but this is the potful. There are several others around the yard that are bronze that I'll collect seed from too.
The bronze form has inherited a good bit of the curl and serrations of the 'crispa' form of red (purple) perilla which is heavier that in the green form.
Let me know how your steamed red perilla comes out. I know the Japanese use it to color pickled ginger and other pickles but I buy my pickled ginger. If I get inspired to make some Japanese pickles I will definitely use some red perilla in it.
I know the oil of the perilla seed is supposed to have Omega-3 fatty acids like fish oil. (See The Good Fat Cookbook by Fran McCullough. p. 53). I have seen it in Asian groceries in pint bottles, but I don't plan to collect seed and press any of my own.
I will put it in some salads and let you know how it comes out.
Betty.