For daily wit & wisdom, sign up for the Almanac newsletter.
No content available.
Body
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 and intriguing.
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, a favorite autumn treat, and let’s take a walk down to the dark side–of flowers.
Demystifying Black Flowers
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 from black.
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 twitch of the supernatural and mysterious.
The Language of Darkness: Black Flowers in the Garden
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 its terrors. Vampires are not depicted wearing chartreuse cloaks, and traditional funeral and mourning attire is dark, somber hues, traditionally black.
Deep, rich colors also signify elegance and sophistication–little black cocktail dresses or black-tie events. Many of us wouldn’t paint our bedrooms in black or blood red; it’s the wrong vibe. However, a little dark aesthetic and mystery in the garden can be just something that provides contrast or a fun design element. A sinister snapdragon? Perfect.
12 of Our Favorite Black Flowers
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 in September.
Black Hollyhocks
‘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 growing hollyhocks.
5-6 feet tall
Full sun
Hardy biennial in USDA zones 3-9
Blooms early to late summer
Black Pansies
‘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 growing pansies.
6-8 inches tall
Full or partial sun
Grow as an annual
Blooms in summer into fall
Queen of Night Tulips
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 Flower Guide.
20-24 inches
Full sun to partial shade
Grow as an annual (plant in fall)
Blooms in spring
Black Calla Lillies
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 early summer.
18-24 inches tall
Full sun to partial shade
USDA zones 8-10 (lift bulbs for winter in colder climates)
Blooms in early summer
Bat Flowers
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 neighbor will have in their flower garden. Plant them in pots or in the shade.
Up to 36 inches tall
Dappled shade
USDA zones 10-11 (grow in pots and bring indoors in colder climates)
Blooms late summer into fall
Black Cosmos
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 ‘Pinot Noir.’
1-3 feet tall
Full sun
USDA zones 9-11 (grow as an annual in colder climates)
Blooms summer into autumn
Black Petunias
Petunias have been the star of the black flower show lately, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more black bloom. The variety fittingly named ‘Black Cat’ is just right for adding a touch of Halloween spooky to your flower beds.
12 inches tall
Full sun to partial shade
Grow as an annual
Blooms in summer
Dark Dahlias
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 4-5” wide blooms. ‘Arabian Night’ is a miniature perfect for growing in pots. Learn more about growing dahlias.
2-3 feet tall
Full sun
USDA zones 9-10 (lift tubers for winter in colder climates)
Blooms summer until frost
Black Roses
‘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 Growing Roses!
3-4 feet tall
Full sun
USDA zones 6-10
Continually reblooming
Black Snapdragons
With deep, purply-red (is that a word?) 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 from seed.
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 for years.
3-5 feet tall
Morning sun, afternoon shade
USDA zones 5-9
Blooms in summer
Dark Ornamental Grasses
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 even deer-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 four-foot height make it great as a backdrop, bed anchor, or even the tall element in a large urn.
4-5 feet tall
Full or partial sun
USDA zones 3-9
Peak color summer into autumn
Quick Tips on Creating a Gothic Garden
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 all season.
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 boringly drab.
What is your favorite black flower? Did we forget any? Tell us in the comments below!
Andy Wilcox is a flower farmer and master gardener with a passion for soil health, small producers, forestry, and horticulture. Read More from Andy Wilcox