beefsteak plant n 1: plant grown for its ornamental red or purple foliage [syn: {Perilla frutescens crispa}] 2: South American plant having green to purple or red branches with green to purple ornamental foliage and spikes of insignificant woolly flowers with dry membranous bracts [syn: {beef plant}, {Iresine herbstii}, {Iresine reticulata}]