Perilla frutescens has been a part of my gardens for so many years now that i take it for granted, but i would hate to be without it! i knew absolutely nothing about it when i acquired it thru a Master Gardener plant swap (but, of course, that has never stopped me!). Also known as False Coleus and Beefsteak Plant (?), it's an annual in my area, but reseeds vigorously, so i always have it. Some people claim it is very invasive but, although it is in the Mint family (and most of that family is horribly invasive!) and it is all over my garden, it is easy to pull out and throw in the compost or move to containers, (in which it does very well). It comes in a green form, a purple form, and a couple of fairly new cultivars (Vanilla Perilla and Magilla Perilla - oh, those wacky plant people!). i have the common purple form, it looks very similar to purple Basil, but it keeps its deep purple color in sun, in shade, moist, dry - it doesn't care! Bugs leave it alone. Some leaves turn out with ruffled edges, and some do not. The leaves are not large, but you may have seen some of my Perilla leaf jewelry - they look very nice cast into pendants!
This time of year, when we see some bare spots in the beds, and my spousal unit complains, "We need to put something there", - i just point at the purple haze (ooo, Hendrix!) covering the ground, shake my head, and say "Perilla". In two weeks, the space will be bare no more! It can grow to a height of 1 to 3 ft., depending on location and/or the flower spikes.
There is conflicting information about using Perilla in food - some say it can be used as a substitute for Basil, but i have also heard it can be poisonous in any sort of quantities. i was told by a Vietnamese lady that it is frequently used as an herb in her country, so i'm not advising you either way. It has a fairly nice Basil-ly scent when the leaves are bruised, but i honestly don't like Basil flavor very well, or i think i'd try it.
The decorative factor and ease of growing it is good enough for me!
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