What is the difference between coleus and perilla? A quick guide to telling the two plants apart

Coleus and perilla look very similar in appearance, and many people may not be able to tell these two plants apart, so they often get them mixed up. So what is the difference between coleus and perilla? Let's take a look.

1. Appearance characteristics

1. The appearance of coleus: coleus is a perennial herbaceous plant, and the shape of the plant is rather unattractive with little ornamental value. The branches and stems of coleus are covered with hairs, the stems are four-angled, and the base of the plant becomes woody.

Leaves: coleus has simple leaves that grow oppositely, are ovate, have a very long tip that gradually tapers to a point, and have blunt teeth along the margins. The surface of the leaves is a mix of green, yellow, peach red, vermilion and other colors blended into a colorful pattern.

Coleus flowers: terminal racemes, with very small flowers. They are light blue or light purple.

2. Perilla is an annual upright herbaceous plant. Perilla stem: the stem is green or purple, bluntly four-angled, with four grooves on it covered with soft hairs.

Perilla leaves: the leaves of perilla grow in a broad ovate or round shape, the tip is short-pointed or abruptly pointed, the base is rounded or broadly wedge-shaped, and the leaf margins all have coarse serrations. The surface color of the leaves is green or purple, the upper side of the leaves is also covered with sparse soft hairs, and the underside is covered with dense soft hairs.

Perilla flowers: the flowers of perilla are verticillasters with 2 flowers, the flowers are covered with fine hairs, the flowers are relatively large, and they are mostly pinkish white.

2. Growth habits

1. Growth habits of coleus: coleus is a warmth-loving plant and has strong environmental adaptability. In winter the temperature should be kept no lower than 10 degrees, and in summer when temperatures are high it should be given a little shade, but it should still receive plenty of sunlight so that the leaves stay vivid in color.

2. Growth habits of perilla: perilla is a plant with strong growth adaptability. It is not strict about the soil it grows in; as long as it is well-drained sandy soil, that is enough. Perilla mainly grows in places such as around houses, along ditches, and at field edges. In addition, it can also be planted and grown under young fruit tree groves.

In fact, there are still differences between coleus and perilla. As long as everyone is a bit more careful, they can tell the two apart, and I hope everyone will no longer confuse them.