1. Guides
  2. TVA, White's Creek Small Wild Area, Plants
  3. Perilla

Perilla

Perilla frutescens

Summary 6

Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. (syn. Perilla nankinensis (Lour.) Decne., etc.) is a cultivated plant of the mint family Lamiaceae. It is the species identification encompassing two distinct varieties of traditional crop in East Asia:

Comments 7

The foliage of the Beefsteak Plant is very distinctive when it becomes deep burgundy in bright sunlight. However, its leaves are often olive green in shadier conditions. This species resembles no native plant in Illinois. However, it does resemble some introduced Coleus cultivars with dark burgundy foliage. Such cultivars usually have a narrow band of green or yellow along the leaf margins. The leaf margins of the Beefsteak Plant have large serrated teeth, while the leaf margins of Coleus cultivars tend to have smaller crenate teeth. There are also differences in the structure and shape of their flowers. Another common name for Perilla frutescens is Purple Perilla. Its leaves are used as a vegetable in the Orient.

Ecological threat in the united states 8

Beefsteak plant has spread to natural areas, especially those experiencing some form of disturbance. Once established, it disrupts native ecosystems by pushing out native plants. It has toxic characteristics which may explain why very few herbivores feed on it. It is ordinarily avoided by cattle and has been implicated in cattle poisoning. Beefsteak plants are most toxic if cut and dried for hay late in the summer, during seed production.

Faunal associations 9

Little is known about floral-faunal relationships for this species in North America. The flowers are cross-pollinated primarily by bees, which are attracted to the nectar. Thus far, I have not observed any signs of mammalian herbivores feeding on the foliage.

Habitat & distribution 10

Waste areas, cultivated in gardens. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Hubei, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia (Java), Japan, Korea, Laos, Vietnam]

History in the united states 11

Also called perilla mint, beefsteak plant is a traditional Asian crop used in cooking and is often planted as an ornamental. It readily escapes cultivation and has become a problematic invasive plant in natural areas across the mid-Atlantic region and elsewhere.

Sources and Credits

  1. (c) Ann Walter-Fromson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5479/9908021673_b1692fa258_o.jpg
  2. (c) Steven Severinghaus, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/horsepunchkid/8039403569/
  3. (c) Nancy Magnusson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), https://www.flickr.com/photos/34312269@N04/7930016596/
  4. (c) "<a href=""http://nt.ars-grin.gov/"">ARS Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory</a>. China.", some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://plants.usda.gov/java/largeImage?imageID=pefr4_004_ahp.tif
  5. (c) Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://collections.nmnh.si.edu/services/media.php?env=botany&irn=10314427
  6. Adapted by Jonathan (JC) Carpenter from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perilla_frutescens
  7. (c) John Hilty, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/29447295
  8. (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/22733805
  9. (c) John Hilty, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/29447294
  10. (c) Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/4985631
  11. (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/22733803

More Info

iNat Map

Member of the iNaturalist Network   |   Powered by iNaturalist open source software |   Documentation for developers