Beefsteak Plant, Shiso, Red Perilla 'Akashiso'

I used to be partial to the purple-leaf strain, but after growing it once in pots I found it turned into a persistent annual weed. After ...Read Moremore than a decade, I'm still weeding it out of the beds. It's very aggressive and outcompetes many perennials.

A pretty plant, but there are far too many other pretty plants that are less work. I'll never plant this again deliberately in any garden.

Coleus makes an excellent substitute, unless you want to eat it.

This species is highly toxic to many animals, including horses, cattle, goats, rats, mice, and hamsters. It is responsible for fatal livestock poisonings when it invades pasturage.

This plant's invasive behavior has alarmed many organizations concerned with preserving natural areas, including the US National Park Service and the US Forest Service. It has been reported as invasive of natural habitat in 8 states.

http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/pubs/midatlantic/pefr.htm
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/beefsteak-...

Reading the conversation regarding Shiso. I am growing in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and presently, in hydroponic growth and product...Read Moreion. The Shiso grows awesome. My seeds are from Horizon Herbs, Happy Frog Starting Soil for seeds, and once transplanted a mix of 80% soil 20% Coir in one qt. pots. We are on week 4 and my plants are bushy, beautifully purple, and about 4 inches high.

I live in Yorktown Virginia and have this growing rampantly in an area I do not want it in. Until just a few minutes ago, I had no idea ...Read Morehow to control it, learning it was an annual and to get rid of it before it seeds. We have it in a well sheltered bed full of some VERY large hosta and this plant pretty much takes over the bed and makes it unenjoyable to view.
This plant was already in place when we bought the house and started as a few plants and now is a carpet of the stuff almost 10 years later.
I can understand it's wonderfulness if I had intended it to be there, it'd be a great plant! When it dies off in the winter though it leaves a horrible eye sore with old yellow, naked stalks poking up out of the ground which have to be plucked individually or just last fall I realized I can just hit them with the weedeater.
So, that's my experience and I'm happy to know how to destroy the crop this year. Sorry folks :(

For those of you who don't know what to do with Beefsteak/perilla leaves, they are a suitable replacement for basil in most recipes, incl...Read Moreuding pesto and pizza.