41 Black Flowers & Plants

Count on gorgeously goth black flowers to add high drama to your garden beds and containers.

By: Julie Martens Forney and Felicia Feaster

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Dark Flowers and Black Plants For Any Garden

Black flowers and black plants lend an air of mystery to your garden. Combined with other colors, they can create dramatic backdrops or add surprising accents. Use black flowers in a gothic garden design, let them complement flowers to grow in fall or try dark flowers like pansies with other plants that bloom in winter.

'Diablo' ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius), pictured here, is a multi-stemmed shrub that flowers in late spring or early summer and drops its dark purple leaves in winter. It offers year-round interest, thanks to its handsome, peeling bark. Hardy in Zones 3 to 7, it's an ideal gothic plant.

See More: 35 Hauntingly Beautiful Ideas for Your Gothic Garden

'Black Delight' Viola

For a true black bloomer, it’s tough to beat the 'Black Delight' viola. These inky black blooms are a great choice for cool-season plantings in beds or pots and may flower all winter long in mild regions.

'Twilight Magic' Crape Myrtle

Dress your landscape in dark hues with the deep plum leaves of 'Twilight Magic' crape myrtle. Pink flowers appear from midsummer to fall, creating a striking contrast with the near-black leaves. Use this plant as a replacement for disease-prone purple leaf plums. Hardy in Zones 7-9.

Learn More: Choosing the Right Crape Myrtle for Your Landscape

Persian Lily

Showy and statuesque, Persian lily (Fritillaria persica) graces gardens in late spring with spikes of deep purple-black, bell-shaped blooms. Grown from bulbs, it's a true heirloom plant, appearing as early as 1585 in Turkey, Syria, Iran, Jordan, Israel, Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine. Give it a sunny spot with very well-drained soil. Hardy in Zones 5-8.

Hellebores 'Dark and Handsome'

In early to mid-spring, before much else is flowering, the black blossoms of the 'Dark and Handsome' hellebores appear. Also known as Lenten rose (it blooms around the time of Lent), this perennial is usually ignored by deer due to the thick, leathery leaves. Give it a spot in part or full shade. Hardy in Zones 4-9.

Learn More: Flowers That Bloom in Winter

‘Cantor Black' Calla Lily

Native to South Africa, 'Cantor Black' Calla lily features tall, upright blooms with a glossy deep purple-black hue surrounded by spotted green foliage. This plant is a beautiful addition to summer garden beds and makes a gorgeous cut flower. 'Cantor Black' Calla lily also grows well in containers and can be moved inside during the winter.

Learn More: How to Grow Calla Lily Flowers

'Black Magic' Mangave

Spiky teeth along leaf edges enhance the fright factor on 'Black Magic' mangave. This tropical succulent makes a statement in containers or planting beds. Leaf color is darkest in full sun. Plants can overwinter indoors at temperatures 60°F or above. Its leaf color will fade, but the black hue will return in spring after a few weeks outdoors in the sun. Hardy in Zones 9 to 11.

Learn More: How to Care for Succulents

Cocoa 'Enchanted Sunrise' Begonia

This beauty casts a spell with its chocolate leaves embossed with lime veins. Cocoa 'Enchanted Sunrise' begonia thrives in shade, where its salmon-orange blossoms appear all summer long. Use it in planting beds or containers.

Learn More: Begonias: How to Plant, Grow and Care for Begonias

'Night Embers' Sedum

This perennial smolders in the summer garden, its dark black-purple leaves ignited by pink blooms on dark red stems. Like all sedums, 'Night Embers' is drought-tolerant and thrives in sun, although afternoon shade helps prevent leaf scorch in the warmest zones. Flower heads provide winter interest. Hardy in Zones 3-9.

Dahlia ‘Happy Days Purple’

A deciduous perennial, dahlia 'Happy Days Purple' features bronze-black foliage and showy, bright pink flowers that bloom summer through fall. Hardy to 20°F.

Learn More: How to Grow and Care for Dahlias

Black Coral Bells

Smoky chocolate leaves on 'Northern Exposure' black coral bells sound a deep, dark note in planting beds that’s downright ghoulish when paired with the orange blooms of ‘Desert Coral’ coreopsis. This coral bells variety is versatile, growing from full sun to full shade. Leaf undersides are red. Hardy in Zones 3-9.

SEE MORE: 50 Gorgeous Fall Container Garden & Planter Ideas

'Queen of the Night' Tulips

Looking to add some dark drama to your spring-blooming garden? Tulip 'Queen of the Night' features deep, velvety purple flowers that contrast well with bright blue, orange and white spring blooms. Requires part to full sun. Hardy in Zones 2-8.

Learn More: Planting and Caring for Tulips

‘Dark Reiter’ Geranium

Lacy, plum-black leaves unfurl on ‘Dark Reiter’ geranium (Geranium pratense), a type of hardy geranium. The dark leaves provide a stunning backdrop for bright lilac blooms that appear in summer. This tough-as-nails perennial thrives in all kinds of soil in part shade to full sun. Hardy in Zones 4-8.

Learn More: Geranium Care: Your Guide to Growing Geraniums

Black Prince Coleus

This black-leafed beauty isn’t your grandmother’s coleus. In addition to its dark personality, this coleus grows in full sun or shade. Use it in containers to command attention in the thriller role, or tuck it into planting beds to provide a solid background for colorful annuals.

Learn More: Planting and Caring For Coleus

Chocolate Lily

Despite its name, the chocolate lily (Fritillaria camschatcensis) has a notoriously unpleasant odor. The dark purple flowers appear in early summer.

'Blackie' Sweet Potato

The ornamental sweet potato named 'Blackie' is an almost-rampant summer groundcover or cascading container plant with deep burgundy leaves, attractive late summer flowers and an edible tuber in the fall.

SEE MORE: 14 Cascading Plants for the Garden

Black Mondo Grass

Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' is a mondo grass cultivar that is noted for its purplish-black leaves, bell-shaped pink flowers and globular bluish-black berries.

'Zwartkop' Succulent

The Aeonium 'Zwartkop' is a multi-branching succulent that adds a dramatic note with its near-black rosettes.

See More: 15 Succulents Worth Knowing

Cordyline Australis 'Purple Tower'

Native to New Zealand, the 'Purple Tower' cabbage tree features spiky, plum-purple leaves and can be grown in containers both indoors and out. Pair with colorful underplantings to balance its height.

Black Bearded Iris 'Hello Darkness'

In the never-ending search for the blackest black flower, this award-winning tall bearded iris remains a standard. 'Hello Darkness' features ruffled, obsidian petals and blooms in mid-spring.

Learn More: Iris Flower: Varieties to Grow and How to Care for Them

Black Bamboo

Phyllostachys nigra, black bamboo, has jet black culms and feathery green leaves. It will grow to 35 feet in height. New green culms emerge every spring and gradually turn black. This black bamboo can be shaped to form a dense privacy hedge or screen.

'Red Rubin' Basil

'Red Rubin' is a beautiful red leaf basil that grows and tastes like sweet Italian basil but has purplish red leaves. It's great to add color to salads or vinegar.

Black Elephant Ears

Glossy, black 'Diamond Head' elephant ear contrasts beautifully with pink petunias in this summer container. A perennial in Zones 8+, this stunner prefers partial shade and will grow up to 6 feet tall through the summer.

'Black Parrot' Tulip

'Black Parrot' tulip features whimsical, flame-shaped petals that are almost black inside. The dark purple hue contrasts gorgeously with light-hued flowers. Plant in fall for late spring color.

See More: 47 Spectacular Tulips

Petunia 'Sweetunia Black Satin'

On display mid-spring to late summer, 'Sweetunia Black Satin' petunia features almost solid black trumpet-shaped flowers that pop against a backdrop of bright green foliage.

Learn More: Petunia Flowers: Planting and Caring for Petunias

Echeveria 'Metallica' Succulent

The Echeveria gibbiflora 'Metallica' produces short spikes of red flowers in the summer above huge purple rosettes.

'Midnight Wine' Weigela

Dwarf 'Midnight Wine' weigela provides steady color in planting beds all season long. For an eye-catching planting, pair it with lime green ‘Angelina’ Sedum rupestre. Weigela opens a light crop of pink flowers in spring. Hardy in Zones 5-8.

Dusky Cranesbill Geranium

Geranium phaeum, also known as dusky cranesbill, mourning widow or black widow, is a good plant for damp shade. Late spring and early summer flowers are deep purple, maroon or white. It will quickly spread to form a hummock of foliage that is excellent for suppressing weeds.

Learn More: Geranium Care: Your Guide to Growing Geraniums

Black Hollyhock

A popular choice in modern cottage gardens, black hollyhocks feature deep maroon-black blooms on tall stems. The alluring black hue pairs beautifully with yellow yarrow, sunflowers and yellow marigolds. Requires full sun; hardy in Zones 4-10.

See More: Growing Hollyhocks: Hollyhock Varieties and Care

'Indigo Rose' Tomato

'Indigo Rose' was bred at Oregon State University and is the first truly purple tomato offered to home gardeners. It was created to maximize healthy anthocyanins, flavonoids that possibly have antioxidant effects in humans. The fruit on 'Indigo Rose' is as dark as an eggplant. For the best flavor, don't pick the fruit too soon. It needs time to develop the acids and sugars to taste its best.

Learn More: How to Plant, Grow and Care for Tomatoes

Calathea Crocata

Unless you garden in the subtropics of the Gulf Coast, Southwest, or Hawaii, this dramatic, shade-loving dark tropical plant is best kept in a container outdoors and brought indoors over the winter. The plant is known by its common name, eternal flame, for its bold yellow blooms that pop against a backdrop of green-black foliage.

Iris 'Black Gamecock'

A true water-loving plant, this Louisiana iris grows in up to 4 inches of water. ‘Black Gamecock’ is a variety that opens 4" to 6" blooms with deep purple petals marked with a brilliant gold stripe. It’s an award-winning variety that’s ultra-easy to grow. Plants multiply rapidly in ideal growing conditions. Despite the name, Louisiana iris is hardy as far north as Maine. Look for varieties with flowers in many hues, including purple and blue shades, red, white, yellow and brown. Plants grow 24" to 36" tall by 24" wide. Hardy in Zones 4-10.

'Black Pearl' Pepper

This compact pepper has near-black foliage and mature berries, which are edible but very, very hot. The upside? These peppers are full of beta-carotene and vitamin C and rumor has it they even have pain-relieving properties. The plant requires full sun and warm temperatures to thrive. Start seeds indoors two weeks before last frost, then plant when soil reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

See More: 10 Pretty Ornamental Pepper Varieties to Try

Phormium Tenax 'All Black'

In the foliage accent world, 'All Black' New Zealand flax is one of the darkest Phormiums around and very dramatic in a pot with other dark plants.

'Black Lace' Elderberry

Low-maintenance elderberry brings out the best a plant has to offer, combining a tough-as-nails personality with beautiful blooms and classy good looks. It’s native to North America, but European breeding has yielded stunning beauty that fits in any landscape. Elderberries are a go-to home remedy for cold and flu season, and modern research studies have proven that elderberries boast antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Follow our link below to learn more about growing these beautiful black shrubs.

LEARN MORE: Growing Elderberries

Ornamental Millet

The annual grain called millet is one of several ornamental grasses that feature near-black foliage and seed heads, making it very dramatic as an accent specimen or mass-planting.

'Dark Angel' Hydrangea

Talk about a gloomy plant — until it flowers, that is! Hydrangea macrophylla 'Dark Angel' brightens the shade garden with its color-popping flowers that range in color from pinky red to blue/mauve depending on the pH level of the soil.

Learn More: How to Plant, Grow and Care for Hydrangeas

Black Cat Pussy Willow

Welcome spring with a spooky twist on an old favorite. Black Cat pussy willow trades furry gray buds for deep, dark ones. The fuzzy catkins start out bright pink and silver and slowly fade to black. The plant grows 10 to 12 feet tall and wide, a perfect size for a hedge. Hardy in Zones 4-7.

Ligularia Dentata 'Britt-Marie Crawford'

A must in your Goth garden, this shade-loving perennial boasts deep, burgundy-chocolate foliage beneath brilliant, yellow flowers. This leopard plant variety blooms late summer to early fall in Zones 4-9 and looks stunning as a dramatic border plant.

Ajuga 'Burgundy Glow'

Ajuga is a commonplace groundcover, but this dark, coppery-burgundy one makes a great foil to taller dark plants such as black mondo grass.

Actaea Simplex 'Prichard's Giant'

Previously named Cimicifuga, the native perennial 'Prichard's Giant' cultivar has deep dark foliage topped by pinkish-white flower wands that arrive mid- to late summer. This showstopper is perfect as a dark accent in sun or part shade.

41 Black Flowers & Plants

Related To:

Shop This Look

Dark Flowers and Black Plants For Any Garden

'Black Delight' Viola

'Twilight Magic' Crape Myrtle

Persian Lily

Hellebores 'Dark and Handsome'

‘Cantor Black' Calla Lily

'Black Magic' Mangave

Cocoa 'Enchanted Sunrise' Begonia

'Night Embers' Sedum

Dahlia ‘Happy Days Purple’

Black Coral Bells

'Queen of the Night' Tulips

‘Dark Reiter’ Geranium

Black Prince Coleus

Chocolate Lily

'Blackie' Sweet Potato

Black Mondo Grass

'Zwartkop' Succulent

Cordyline Australis 'Purple Tower'

Black Bearded Iris 'Hello Darkness'

Black Bamboo

'Red Rubin' Basil

Black Elephant Ears

'Black Parrot' Tulip

Petunia 'Sweetunia Black Satin'

Echeveria 'Metallica' Succulent

'Midnight Wine' Weigela

Dusky Cranesbill Geranium

Black Hollyhock

'Indigo Rose' Tomato

Calathea Crocata

Iris 'Black Gamecock'

'Black Pearl' Pepper

Phormium Tenax 'All Black'

'Black Lace' Elderberry

Ornamental Millet

'Dark Angel' Hydrangea

Black Cat Pussy Willow

Ligularia Dentata 'Britt-Marie Crawford'

Ajuga 'Burgundy Glow'

Actaea Simplex 'Prichard's Giant'

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