Before you go asking around for it, you might check this website, where you will see it is illegal to import or propagate kudzu in Massachusetts:

http://www.mass.gov/portal/gog_cache.jsp?q=cache:nNVxHt4rAUQJ:www.mass.gov/agr/farmproducts/prohibited_plant_list_v12-12-05.pdf+kudzu&access=p&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&client=mgov&site=EOEAxDFAx&proxystylesheet=mgov&oe=ISO-8859-1

York,
Thanks for the information. I really do believe in not brining anymore invasives here than we have. That's why I put the question out here. I think its a gorgeous vine, but I do try to discourage my neighbors and friends from planting anything that may escape from their gardens, so I couldn't plant it myself.
Thanks,
Chaz

You're welcome, Chaz! :-)

Unless I'm mistaken, they've also made winged euonymous non grata for similar reasons. Its spread is not as dramatic, but it's alien and it does escape. Blueberries are natives with a similar fall foliage (plus awesome summer fruit - if the birds will let you get any! :-))

I was aware of the winged euonymous. I've been trying to propogate eastern wahoo as an alternative in my garden. The fall fruit of the wahoo beats the foliage of the winged euonymous any day. And they are both in the same famiy.

Hi all
Kudzu is old way to write "Kuzu". mordan Japanese use kuzu instead of kudzu. [ Who care!~~~~ I know it] kudzu produce highest quality of starch in Japan and use to made medicine for cough/cold.
If you gather enouth quantitiy of kudzu starch, you can export to Japan. Hehehe.
One Japanese company quietly growing kudzu in Alabama.

Cork part of winged euoymous also can be use of medicine/sort of . wrap "wing" with aluminum hoil and heat it/ burn it. mix with steamed rice and make sticky past and place over stubborn splinter. I don't have patience to wait long time splinter come out. so I use razor blade, needle and twizer. Easy and quick, American way ^^

I know that this is useless information but wanted to just add some color to this thread.....................yama

Moshi moshi. Hi Yama. Is Kuzu also Shiso -- I am thinking especially of the shiso leaf used in some Japanese dishes, and sometimes with umeboshi?
ML

Shiso is perrila

michaelb....
Tell us more I googled perilla and I am still in the dark. kt

runktrun
I've grown the herb perilla, I believe it is in the mint family, looks like an almost black coleus but has an anise like smell when the leaves are crushed. The leaves take on almost a metallic shine by mid summer. Reseeds itself here in the north.
There is also a new variety on the market called magilla, but it is not as fragrant as the old fashioned black. Hope this helps.
chaz

I grow Perilla in one bed only (part shade). I started with one plant which reseeded and now I have quite a few. It is very easy to pull out from where you do not want it.

Perilla is the purple foliaged plant:

Looks like I spelled Perilla incorrectly.

But others came through with information.

Monique, as usual, well grown plants and fantastic colour combinations.

There is also another perilla that we have been using the last couple of years, not used for food, that resembles a coleus in its colouration.

My understanding that the shiso/perilla is used to wrap around rice and/or other foods.

Here is a useful link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Perilla Wiki

Hi all
"Shiso" Japanese name of perilla is easy to grow. seed germinate well . Seed cannot be cover with soil. Seed don't need darkness. If seeds are covered then don't germinate well. Shiso seed likes sun. To grow shiso,semi shade is better. shiso will take full sun but then leave are harder. to make more seed, It is ok to have full sun. when use leave growing under full sun hervest leave while young. Morning sun after noon shade is ideal for growing shiso. while shiso is only few inchs to 8 inch tall , it is easy to transplant. It has shallow roots.

We have few different kind of shiso. one is green , other is purple. One called chirimen shiso which leave are winkled leaf and leave are softer/tender than regular shiso.
purple shiso leave can use as natunal food die of red. Umeboshi's red color come from purple shiso leave. We import lot's of Umeboshi/salted plume from Tiwan and Korea. ( Be carefull, leave staine your hand too and hard to remove stain)
Shiso leave can be use as tempra. young flower also use for tempra or use garnish on sashimi/ raw fish. By fall seed head getting mature but before browning, harvest seeds with coating and put salt. use glass jar or plastic bottle . put seed about 2 inch thick and add about two table spoonfull of salt add more shiso seed again add salt[ sea solt is better] save some space on top, about a month or so , you will see some water in the bottle. you can discard water. salted shiso seed is great for pasta,salad , rice ball( called Onigiri ) fryed rice and some fish dish.

If salted shiso seed is too salty, put in water for a while and that will remove salt then use it.
I made salted shiso seed for Cady two years ago and she love it.She likes my cooking too. When I was young I never thought to cook for woman. I am spoiling Cady ^^.
( She love my buffalo wing.) Cady use salted shiso seed for something else.
shiso leave, seed, flower, all parts are edible. It has wonderfull aroma too. I think shiso flower can decorate any dishs.