You've found the famous Dave's Garden website! Join this friendly global community that shares tips and ideas for home and gardens, along with seeds and plants!
Check out the DG homepage for a brief overview of what you'll find in this gardening mega-site.
Login
If you don't have an account yet, visit the registration page to sign up.
On Aug 16, 2008, t3208 from Edison, NJ (Zone 6b) wrote:
This plant is extremely invasive. Earlier this summer I completely cleared a bed of it and in a matter of 3 weeks it looked as if nothing had been done. This plant is right up there with mint in places where it isn't native. True the foliage is nice but I would never recommend this plant to anyone.
On Sep 8, 2005, Breezymeadow from Culpeper, VA (Zone 7a) wrote:
This plant, in both green & red variations, is naturalized here in Culpeper, VA, & I have several plants coming up in partial to full shade uncultivated areas of my property, some of which I'm planning on potting up.
While I haven't cooked with it yet, I do find it pleasant to nibble on when I'm working outdoors, & do plan to begin using it in both Korean & Japanese dishes. The taste, to me, is a mild mint/licorice.
On Jul 2, 2005, IO1 from Waaaay down south, GA (Zone 8b) wrote:
This is a harty plant which requires little care and makes a beautiful container plant. It grows well in sunny conditions without requiring an excessive amount of water. It is not bothered by any sort of insects that I've noticed. Although mine has not bloomed, it's still mid summer, so it's a bit early yet.
On Jan 23, 2005, Windy from Toney, AL (Zone 7a) wrote:
The seed requires light to germinate. Surface sow and keep moist until it germinates.
I cut the stems with seed pods that have dried and carefully shake them into a bowl to collect the many seeds.
You can also snip the seed froming pods before they set seed and dispose of them to prevent over seeding the next season.
Does not seem to be bothered by Japanese Beetles.
Easily grown from seed, Perilla frutescens 'Atropurpurea' was like a coleus plant but a coleus which thrived in full sun, heat and humidity! The deep purple-bronze leaves kept their lustre all summer long. Once established, the Perilla needed only occasional pinching to keep it full and bushy. Water needs were average, and remarkably, insects ignored the plant.
On Sep 19, 2003, Toxicodendron from Piedmont, MO (Zone 6a) wrote:
This plant appears to be native to our area. It will come up by the hundreds but is very easily pulled out, so I don't consider it a weed. It is very pretty with pink flowers growing in it (such as Echinacea purpurea), makes a good cut flower vase filler, roots in water, likes sun or shade, can be pinched like coleus for fullness. A friend of mine said it is one of those plants that "could grow between two cigarette butts in the crack of a NYC sidewalk". The plants range from very tiny to three feet tall and wide, depending on light, moisture, and fertility of the soil.
On Aug 8, 2003, Ladyfern from Jeffersonville, IN (Zone 6a) wrote:
I love the accent the dark, ruffly foliage provides in the garden. It gets 3' tall for me in some places. Tolerates drought, clay soil, and shade. I've never noticed bug damage to the foliage. Once it starts bolting in the fall, though, it loses a lot of its attractiveness. And once the plants begin to set seed, I definitely pull them out since they self seed PROLIFICALLY! But this way, the self-seeding they do is manageable.
On Jan 27, 2003, lupinelover from Grove City, OH (Zone 6a) wrote:
Although this has been used as a food plant, it is currently regarded as unsafe to eat in quantity. It is a beautiful accent in the flower bed, though, and its leaves make a great addition to bouquets.
On Mar 20, 2001, JJsgarden from Northern Piedmont, NC (Zone 7b) wrote:
Perilla is a member of the mint family. It has square stems,
deep reddish-purple leaves with a bronze metallic sheen.
The plant grows 18-36" tall and has pale lavender, pink,
or white flowers which grow in 3-6" long spikes. The flowers
are rather insignificant when compared to the beauty of
the foliage. It is fragrant when bruised or crushed.
P. frutescens 'Crispa' has bronze or purple leaves with highly
wrinkled margins.
P. frutescens 'Atropurpurea' has dark purple leaves.
Regional...
This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
Morrilton, Arkansas Pangburn, Arkansas Merced, California Fountain, Florida Jonesboro, Georgia Valdosta, Georgia Barrington, Illinois Jeffersonville, Indiana Delhi, Iowa Wichita, Kansas Hi Hat, Kentucky Louisville, Kentucky Mcdowell, Kentucky Melbourne, Kentucky Violet, Louisiana Churchville, Maryland Millersville, Maryland Mathiston, Mississippi Raymond, Mississippi Waynesboro, Mississippi Cole Camp, Missouri Piedmont, Missouri Lincoln, Nebraska Edison, New Jersey Mount Laurel, New Jersey Carthage, North Carolina Fuquay Varina, North Carolina Mooresville, North Carolina Dundee, Ohio Glouster, Ohio Springboro, Ohio Hulbert, Oklahoma Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania Columbia, South Carolina Greer, South Carolina North Augusta, South Carolina La Coste, Texas Temple, Texas