Beefsteak Plant 'Atropurpurea'

This plant grows vigorously and attractively in my Zone 7a garden, in Petersburg Virginia. I was given a six pack last May by a friend, ...Read Moreand I let the three plants that survived my laxadaisical treatment, and that flourished through to the autumn, continue to stand over the winter: the dried forms looked ornamental. This spring I have hundreds of tiny little perillas coming up in that particular area (nowhere else in the garden, so they apparently don't travel far). They resemble tiny purple basil. I am going to transfer some of them to several other areas of the garden that are very, very green, and can benefit from the purplish leaves. I'll dig some others up to give away or trade. If its fertility becomes a problem, I'll update my note.

This plant appears somewhere in my garden most years. I do not let it go to seed as it can be quite aggressive. Our state asks people ...Read Morenot to grow it.

!!!WARNING!!! This Plant is Extremely Toxic to rabbits or other small rodent/pets I fed a small amount to my rabbits and within hours the...Read Morey were both dead!!!!

I have a plant called Cryptotaenia japonica atropurpurea that looks very similar. Common name is japanese parsley I believe. It seems to ...Read Morebe a perennial (in Pittsburgh PA) and is an aggressive spreader. It's supposed to be edible. Is it the same plant?

This lovely little plant came up on its own in a shade garden beneath our front maple and quickly filled in a spot that had previously st...Read Moreubbornly remained bare. Seems very happy in the shade, believe it's probably a bit more contained there than in full sun. Prolific, but easily managed.

Extremely invasive here, but so pretty! I'd be happy if I could remove them from everywhere they shouldn't be, and just save seeds to sow...Read More in one place. There are so many, though, it'd be an overwhelming task. Don't let them reseed freely!

My sister gave me a pot of this a few years ago and since then I've always had a new crop because it self seeds. Summers here are extrem...Read Moreely hot and it does well even in full sun, although it would probably be a little happier with afternoon part sun rather than full.

Baa I'D this plant for me when my dog ate several of the leaves. Was very worried about him getting ill til I read comments about people...Read More eating it's leaves?

Overall we have had this plant for many years and love it. You don't have a garden unless you have Perilla. Lovely plant that adds not only color but a pungent scent to the garden when brushed or during a very hot day.Looks as though you could use it to dye fabrics purple. I rubbed some cloth with it and it is a nice shade of pruple.
Who knows what all you can use Perilla for. :-)

My wife and I have been growing and eating the green beefsteak plant for years, the leaves are the Japanese equivilent to basil. I like ...Read Moreit very much, and have used it in sandwiches in place of lettuce. we grew the red leaved beefsteak one year, had very little flavor, just contributed a nice color to dishes. If you have eaten sushi, you most likely have tasted it.

They are invasive, but they fill up a garden nicely. when you have a bare spot, just add one and next year you will have twenty. they are...Read More like coleus in that they bloom like the coleus.

This plant looks beautiful in the garden and grows well in sun or shade. However, it self seeds and every years multiplies like crazy. I ...Read Morenow have to weed them out by the hundreds. No exaggeration.

Although perilla has been used as a food crop, it is currently regarded as unsafe.