Going back to black – stunning plants for the goth (or emo) gardener in your life…
I’m a bit wary of talking about the best black plants and flowers, as most varieties sold as ‘black’ are nothing of the sort! Here are the floral dark stars you should look out for…
They are usually shades of deep purple, brown, burgundy and maroon. As long as you bear that in mind, such dark shades are lovely in their own right, very dramatic, so don’t be disappointed. The commonest plants you’ll see labelled as ‘black’ are tulips and Heucheras and are well worth investigating. This is a purely personal list, based on what I like and how well they’ll do in an average garden (apart from the bat plant).
While we’re on the subject of Halloween, here are two related posts on the best scary plants and the best pumpkins to grow.
How to use black flowers
Exotic and unusual they may be but black flowers tend to melt into the background unless you’re right up close – and never put them in front of a dark wall! They need to be used with some sort of contrast, whether that’s white, pastels or hot colours. Tulips especially need to be mixed with other varieties to bring out their true potential.
Best black plants and flowers – Bat flower (Tacca chantrieri)
Also called Cat’s Whiskers and the Devil Flower, this weird specimen belongs to the yam family – and with care, you can grow it from seed. T. chantrieri has black bat-shaped flowers, up to 30cm across, with long ‘whiskers’ that can grow up to 70cm, with the plant growing up to 1m. Native to Southeast Asia, they prefer shade, well-drained soil, high humidity, and lots of water. Hardy above 4.5°C.
2025 UPDATE: No longer stocked by Thompson & Morgan, but seeds are available from Chiltern Seeds, Suttons and Plant World Seeds.
Tulips
Many tulips claim to be black but are expected to be deep purple. The most popular is Queen of Night (sometimes listed as Queen of the Night), and this is the easiest one to get hold of – you’ll find this one in supermarkets!
2025 UPDATE: Tulips and current stockists:
- Queen of the Night – widely available.
- Black Satin – Suttons.
- Nightmare – Farmer Gracy.
- Black Parrot – J Parkers.
- Paul Scherer – Boston Seeds.
- Black Hero – Peter Nyssen.
- Black Knight – J Parkers.
- Recreado – J Parkers.
- Black Triumph – Pilgrim Flower Bulbs.
- Ronaldo – Thompson & Morgan.
- Purple Lady – Farmer Gracy.
- Havran – Thompson & Morgan.
- Vincent Van Gogh – DutchGrown.
- Nachtwacht – Farmer Gracy.
- Jackpot – Suttons.
Best black plants and flowers – Lilies
Black Jewel: The large, purple-black flowers are ideal for cutting, lasting for up to two weeks. Plants reach a height of 75cm. Thompson & Morgan.
Blacklist: A robust black Asian lily growing up to 85cm. Upright flowers are sturdy in windy areas. Bulbi.
Hemerocallis Voodoo Dancer: This black daylily measures around 60cm high, producing fragrant double flowers. Each bloom has layers of slightly ruffled petals shading from blood-red to purple-black. The centre of each flower is deep golden yellow. A tetraploid variety with larger, thicker leaves and flowers, stronger flower stalks, more intense colouring, and increased vigour. Farmer Gracy.
Hemerocallis Longfield’s Black Magic: One of the darkest lilies, with large, purple-black flowers. Height: 75cm. Thompson & Morgan.
Magnolias
Black Tulip: One of the darkest varieties available with burgundy, tulip-shaped blooms on naked stems in spring. Height 6m, spread 5m. Thompson & Morgan.
Genie: A more compact variety, with buds of blackish-red opening to produce scented, deep maroon, tulip-shaped flowers. Avoid windy sites and frost pockets. Height 4m, spread 1.5m. Thompson & Morgan.
Pansies
2025 UPDATE: All varieties have velvety black petals with a yellow eye. and are easy to grow from seed.
- Atlas Black – (widely available).
- Black Star – Johnsons, available through Amazon.
- Black Moon – Thompson & Morgan.
- Giant Black – She Grows Veg.
- Blackjack – JustSeed.
Best black plants and flowers – Black Mondo grass Kokuryu
The impossibly named Ophiopogon planiscapus Nigrescens is an easy-to-grow evergreen perennial that grows to 20cm, featuring inky purple, grass-like leaves. In summer, small spikes of bell-shaped, pale mauve flowers appear, followed by spherical, dark blue fruit. Crocus.
Scabious Black Knight
Deep maroon, almost black flowers are carried on long, strong stems. Loved by butterflies and bees, as well as being superb for cutting. Height 90cm. Fothergill’s.
Best black plants and flowers – Nasturtium Black Velvet
Dark chocolate to maroon single flowers contrast with the bright green foliage, with a dwarf habit, it is ideal for borders and patio containers. Height 30cm. Thompson & Morgan.
Aquilegia Black Barlow
Add a touch of darkness to spring in your quest for the best black plants and flowers. The darkest of all aquilegias with deep purple flowers borne above slender stems during spring and early summer. Plant in moist, but well-drained, light soils for the best results. Height 90cm. Widely available as plants or to grow from seed.
Best black plants and flowers – Dahlias
- Verrones Obsidian – This star-shaped dahlia to 70cm has a single row of inrolled, deepest red petals surrounding a sunburst-like eye. Sarah Raven.
- Black Jack – Sarah Raven.
- Black Touch – Fothergill’s.
- Karma Choc – A decorative dahlia with dark red flowers and bronze-flushed foliage. The flowers are chocolate-scented and look like velvet. J Parkers.
Heuchera
One of the best – and easiest – foliage plants to grow, and some really strong dark colours, too, all available from independent specialists Plantagogo, but only in season.
- Obsidian
- Black Pearl
- Black Taffeta
- Black Forest Cake
- Tiarella Black Velvet
- Black Beauty
- Black Sea
- Blackberry Jam
- Blackout
- Blackbird
- Coco
- Ebony and Ivory
- Timeless Night
Best black plants and flowers – Kale
Fancy a hint of darkness in your veg garden? Italian black kale, also called Cavolo Nero, Black Tuscan and Nero de Toscana, is easy to grow, very hardy and delicious, as is Black Magic (JustSeeds). Pair plants with orange Calendula for a stunning effect. Plant World Seeds.
Phormium
For an easy-to-grow plant with a tropical feel, try the Phormium (New Zealand flax) Platt’s Black, which has very dark, strap-like leaves with older ones turning a dark red. It’s a manageable 1m high but may need winter protection in colder areas with wet winters. Other dark varieties include Back in Black, Black Velvet and Black Adder.
