Are you ready to add a touch of gothic elegance to your garden? Discover the allure of black flowers, from deep purple dahlias to mysterious bat plants. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, it’s time to embrace the dark side of floral design and create a garden that’s both beautiful andintriguing.
If you hyper-obsess about things (especially gardening) as I do, you may soon start looking for that near-black cosmos or rose you saw and plotting how to create a bit of the dark side in your own garden. Grab your cloak and a favorite autumn treat, and let’s take a walk down to the dark side—offlowers.
Demystifying BlackFlowers
While Mother Nature hasn’t created any truly black flowers—at least that we’ve found so far—some blooms come close, in shades of deep purple and darkest reds. Breeders have been trying to bring these blooms closer and closer to true black; some are virtually indistinguishable fromblack.
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Dark flowers are rare and often capture our attention because they’re different. A white rose is beautiful but not uncommon. Yellow flowers are a mainstay of our gardens. Our brain is satisfied that all is well when it registers green leaves and red, white, yellow, and pink flowers. The abnormal, the strange, and the dark catch the eye and make us pause. Perhaps it’s a throwback to days when our survival depended on noticing something out of the ordinary. Or, maybe there’s a touch of the supernatural andmysterious.
The Language of Darkness: Black Flowers in theGarden
Deep, rich, dark colors symbolize mystery, intrigue, and the macabre. From fiction to real life, we associate black, dark red, dark purple, and charcoal gray with night and all of its terrors. Vampires are not depicted wearing chartreuse cloaks; and funeral and mourning attire is traditionally black or dark andsomber-hued.
Deep, rich colors also signify elegance and sophistication—little black cocktail dresses or black-tie events. Many of us wouldn’t paint our bedrooms black or blood red; it’s the wrong vibe. However, a little dark aesthetic and mystery in the garden can be something that provides contrast or a fun design element. A sinister snapdragon?Perfect.
12 of Our Favorite BlackFlowers
Here are a few black flowering plants to get your imagination going. When planning the garden, choose a few dark flowers with different bloom times. Black tulips won’t be around to create a dark and stormy night effect inSeptember.
BlackHollyhocks
‘Blacknight’ hollyhocks are very cold-hardy, making these blackish-wine-colored flower spikes accessible even for cold-weather gardeners. A taller plant, hollyhocks can be used near a fence or as a pocket of height to create vertical and visual separation. Plant them near a turn in the path to hide what lies beyond. Learn all about growinghollyhocks.
- 5-6 feettall
- Fullsun
- Hardy biennial in USDA Zones3-9
- Blooms early to latesummer
BlackPansies
‘Halloween II’ pansies are great low-growing bedding plants and garden flowers—and what list of superbly foreboding blooms would be complete without one? Learn more about growingpansies.
- 6-8 inchestall
- Full or partialsun
- Grow as anannual
- Blooms in summer intofall
Queen of NightTulips
Start your garden off in spring with these near-black tulips. Their velvety dark maroon blooms bring a stunning focus to otherwise often pastel spring colors. Check out our complete Tulip FlowerGuide.
- 20-24inches
- Full sun to partialshade
- Grow as an annual (plant infall)
- Blooms inspring
Black CallaLillies
Calla lilies are gorgeous, and ‘Black Star’ is even better. Its funnel-shaped blooms, with deep burgundy and plum colors, make a perfect accent in a pot or planter in earlysummer.
- 18-24 inchestall
- Full sun to partialshade
- USDA Zones 8-10 (lift bulbs for winter in colderclimates)
- Blooms in earlysummer
BatFlowers
Of course, nothing says “spooky Halloween” like bats, and the black bat flower (Tacca chantrieri) is unique. With two wing-like bracts above the purple blooms and a bat-like face (some imagination required), it’s not something your neighbors will have in their flower garden. Plant them in pots or in theshade.
- Up to 36 inchestall
- Dappledshade
- USDA Zones 10-11 (grow in pots and bring indoors in colderclimates)
- Blooms late summer intofall
BlackCosmos
We love cosmos for their seemingly endless bright blooms. They can also make great and economical space fillers, spreading out and providing summer-long color. The chocolate cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus) is a cousin of the regular cosmos we grow, with dark maroon blooms. It’s named for the chocolatey scent of the flowers. Several varieties are available, including ‘Black Magic’ and ‘PinotNoir’.
- 1-3 feettall
- Fullsun
- USDA Zones 9-11 (grow as an annual in colderclimates)
- Blooms summer intoautumn
BlackPetunias
Petunias have been the star of the black flower show lately, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a blacker bloom. The variety fittingly named ‘Black Cat’ is just right for adding a touch of “Halloween spooky” to your flowerbeds.
- 12 inchestall
- Full sun to partialshade
- Grow as anannual
- Blooms insummer
DarkDahlias
I grow a lot of dahlias, and the darker colors of eggplant, mulberry, and red wine always stand out. ‘Black Satin’ is a gorgeous deep red dahlia with 4- to 5-inch-wide blooms. ‘Arabian Night’ is a miniature perfect for growing in pots. Learn more about growingdahlias.
- 2-3 feettall
- Fullsun
- USDA Zones 9-10 (lift tubers for winter in colderclimates)
- Blooms summer untilfrost
BlackRoses
‘Black Baccara’ is a darkest red hybrid tea rose known for its color and long vase life. ‘Black Magic’ and ‘Black Pearl’ are other good choices, and they will continue pushing dark blooms for weeks. See our Complete Guide to GrowingRoses!
- 3-4 feettall
- Fullsun
- USDA Zones6-10
- Continuallyreblooming
BlackSnapdragons
With deep, purply-red blooms, ‘Black Prince’ is a truly dark snapdragon. It’s a cut-and-come-again dark flower that will keep blooming into fall. It works well as a mid-height flower in beds or large urns. They are also one of our favorite flowers to grow fromseed.
- 18 incheshigh
- Full sun or partshade
- Grow as anannual
- Blooms summer intomid-fall
Hydrangeas
The ‘Eclipse’ hydrangea is the first dark-leaved mophead variety, and the foliage color is spectacular. Blooms of dark pink add contrast and mystery to this gorgeous plant, which can anchor your dark gardening efforts foryears.
- 3-5 feettall
- Morning sun, afternoonshade
- USDA Zones5-9
- Blooms insummer
Dark OrnamentalGrasses
Adding foreboding, dark ornamental grass is where we look like garden design pros. ‘Blackhawks’ is a big bluestem cultivar. A native prairie grass, this new variety emerges dark green and then turns purple, which deepens as fall approaches. Use this tall grass to add a landscaped look and long-lasting dark color to your garden. It’s evendeer-resistant.
Don’t forget the 2022 Perennial Plant Association’s Plant of the Year, a little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) called ‘Blue Paradise’. Its deep purple coloring and 4-foot height make it great as a backdrop, bed anchor, or even the tall element in a largeurn.
- 4-5 feettall
- Full or partialsun
- USDA Zones3-9
- Peak color summer intoautumn
Quick Tips on Creating a GothicGarden
When creating a goth garden, whether in a couple of planters on the deck or an entire outdoor garden room, embrace the idea of moody and mysterious. Use “old” materials like iron, stone, and aged wood when possible. Even the mulch can be darker. Choose plants with varying heights and add wispy foliage that moves in the breeze. Plants with dark leaves are an eye-catcher allseason.
Equally important: Select for contrast. A garden with only one shade of foliage and flowers won’t pop; you’ll miss the details that make this aesthetic fun. Embrace the darkness not only with black flowers but also with startling complements—bright glowing whites make a splash of brilliance that only emphasizes the darkness around it. Go for hauntingly beautiful, not boringlydrab.
What is your favorite black flower? Did we forget any? Tell us in the comments below!