Perilla, Shiso, Beefsteak Plant 'Kkaennip'

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-...

I planted kkaennip for the second time in my zone 5 garden in Massachusetts last summer. I direct seeded in the garden about Memorial Da...Read Morey. It took about a week to germinate, and then grew very well thereafter. I have sandy, not particularly rich soil and full sun in my garden. All it seemed to want was enough water. I love pickling the large leaves from the kkaennip with fish sauce, carrot, ginger, onion, gochu garu (korean red pepper flakes) and a touch of honey. I wrap the leaves around cold rice for a light and tasty midsummer lunch.

This Korean variety, called Kkaennip, produces large leaves with green on the front and light-purple on the back, which are often used in...Read More Korean gourment food. Young leaves have a unique flavor between mint and basil. In addition to use in sushi, garnish and soups, Korean like to use young large raw leaves to wrap and eat with cooked food. The plant grow vigorously in warm climates and can be grown in containers as decorative plants.