# Beefsteak Plant (*perilla frutescens*) The Beefsteak Plant has beautiful green leaves that can look purple in the sun! It's not just pretty; it has a yummy flavor that many people love to use in cooking. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** You can find it in gardens and farms, usually in warm climates. - **Also known as:** Beefsteak Leaf, Perilla, Shiso ![Beefsteak Plant](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Perilla_frutescens_in_Gimpo.jpg&width=800) Photo: Dalgial, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Perilla_frutescens_in_Gimpo.jpg) ## Appearance The Beefsteak Plant has distinctive ovate to broad-ovate leaves, often deeply serrated, that range from vibrant green to deep purple. Its square stems bear tiny, inconspicuous white to pale purple flowers arranged in slender terminal spikes. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Lamiaceae - **Genus:** Perilla ## Interesting facts - It's a super popular herb in Asian cooking, giving dishes a unique spicy flavor! - Its leaves can be bright green, deep purple, or even a mix of both colors! - Many people call it 'Shiso' or 'Perilla' depending on where they live! - The plant's tiny seeds are pressed to make a healthy oil, rich in good fats! ## Special abilities - **Aromatic Shield:** Beefsteak Plant has powerful aromatic oils that deter common herbivores, helping it stay safe from hungry creatures. - **Seed Spreader:** Beefsteak Plant can self-seed vigorously, scattering its tiny seeds widely to grow new plants easily each year. - **Sunscreen Pigments:** Beefsteak Plant can produce vibrant purple pigments, which might protect its leaves from too much sun. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 20-40 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.3-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late summer to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers to collect nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Two-spotted bumblebee (*Bombus bimaculatus*) — Helps transfer pollen between its small blooms. - **Eats:** [Human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — Cultivates and consumes its flavorful leaves and seeds. - **Eaten by:** Cotton aphid (*Aphis gossypii*) — Feeds on the sap from its leaves and stems. ## Traits - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Beefsteak Plant? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Beefsteak Plant? 30-90 cm ### How wide does Beefsteak Plant spread? 20-40 cm ### How big are the flowers on Beefsteak Plant? 0.3-0.5 cm ### When does Beefsteak Plant bloom? Late summer to fall ### Is Beefsteak Plant edible? Yes ### Is Beefsteak Plant toxic? None ### What is Beefsteak Plant's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Elk Neck State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/elk-neck-state-park) — Maryland, US · State Park - [Locust Grove State Historic Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/locust-grove-state-historic-site) — Louisiana, US · Nature Reserve - [Silk Stocking District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/silk-stocking-district) — Alabama, US · Park - [St. Joseph's on the Brandywine](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/st-josephs-on-the-brandywine) — Delaware, US · Historic District - [Sugar Loaf Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sugar-loaf-mountain) — Maryland, US · Park [View all places to see Beefsteak Plant](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/beefsteak-plant) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Beefsteak Plant: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/beefsteak-plant)