If your house has a garden, you will likely want to make sure that it is a place that you enjoy and want to spend time in during the warmer months of the year.
There are so many things that you can do in your garden to make it the perfect place to make memories and unwind with your family and friends.
However, landscaping can be expensive and require a lot of time. An easier way to change the feel of your garden is to plant certain plants and flowers to create the ideal atmosphere.
There are many resources available online where you can get inspiration for the flowers and plants that you include in your garden. However, a significant amount of these resources tend to focus on light and bright flowers that bring lots of color to your garden.
For some people, bright flowers do not provide the right aesthetic or ambiance. In this article, we will look at some of the most beautiful black flowers that can bring mystery and elegance to your garden.
Elegant And Mysterious Black Flowers
There are many different types of black flowers and plants that you can add to your garden to create the ambiance and aesthetics that you are looking for.
Below, we will look at some of the most beautiful black plants that are suitable for growing in a domestic garden. We have separated the flowers and plants into different subcategories to help you find exactly what you are looking for.
Black Lilies
Lilies are stunning flowering plants that have significant importance in culture and literature around the world. Most species of lily are native to the Northern Hemisphere.
These unique-looking flowers are instantly recognizable by their intriguing shape. If you want to add some instant elegance to your garden, lilies are a great option.
Black lilies are even more dramatic and will definitely draw the eye no matter what else is growing. Remember that lilies are not suitable to grow in gardens with cats. Below are some of the most beautiful black lilies for your garden.
1. Persian Lily
If you want a completely unique-looking lily, the Persian Lily is a great choice. The shape and growth pattern of this lily is what makes it so interesting.
The leaves are shaped like lances and protrude up to 25 cm out of the upright stems. The leaves boast a subtle green-gray color that contrasts beautifully with the deep, rich color of the blooms.
The flowers have an unusual bell shape. The true color of the petals ranges from brown to deep purple, but from a distance, they appear black. Each stem can grow between 0.5 m and 1 m tall.
Up to 30 beautiful flowers can be produced by each stem. The stem itself has an intriguingly purple hue that almost seems to bleed from the petals.
The Persian Lily is a perennial flower which means that it flowers recurrently year after year. This plant enjoys full exposure to the sun and thrives in a south-facing or east-facing garden.
You will be able to enjoy flowers from this plant during the spring. The plant produces stunning foliage during the spring and summer months. To get the most out of this lily, make sure that it is planted in well-drained, clay, loam, or sand.
2. Zantedeschia ‘Black Star’ Lily
The Zantedeschia “Black Star” Lily is also known as the Sword Lily. It gets its nickname from the shape of the beautiful green foliage that it produces.
If you are looking for a lily that will provide you with stunning flowers to enjoy throughout the late summer period, this is the perfect plant for you.
It is a cormous perennial that will bloom with stunningly dramatic flowers year after year. All you need to do is plant them from corms or bulbs.
The plant can grow to an ultimate height of 1 m which might seem quite large, but the positioning of the foliage and flowers. The bright green leaves shoot up from the ground in pointed, sword-like shapes.
When fully grown and in bloom, the upright leaves perfectly frame the striking flowers. The flowers on the Black Star Lily are a dramatically dark shade of maroon.
From a distance and up close, they appear black unless the sun is directly on them in which a deep red hue is visible around the edges.
It takes 2 – 5 years for this plant to reach its full height. It can also spread between 0.1 and 0.5 meters. As with most lilies, the Black Star enjoys full sun but can also benefit from shelter from the elements.
You will see beautiful blooms on this plant from summer into fall. The foliage is visible from spring through to fall.
3. Black Charm Asiatic Lily
To bring the ultimate feeling of drama to your garden, the Black Charm Asiatic Lily is a must-have. This lily is slightly different from others on this list as it is a potted plant.
It is possible to successfully plant this lily in smaller flower beds, however, it prefers being in a pot. The Black Charm Asiatic Lily is actually quite a rare plant that many hobbyist horticulturalists wish to have in their garden.
The large, dramatic leaves are as close to black as you can possibly get naturally. In fact, the pigmentation of the leaves is so intense that even with direct sunlight, it is difficult to detect any red or purple hues.
The pollen stamens on this flower add to the drama as the bright orange-red color contrasts beautifully with the dark, glossy petals. The bright green leaves that protrude from the stem provide another contrasting color to help highlight the elegant flowers.
This rare lily enjoys direct sunlight as much as any other lily, however, it can also benefit from periods of shade to help protect the foliage from sun damage.
Around six hours of direct sunlight a day is the perfect amount to keep the plant healthy. On the other hand, the plant itself can survive in low-light conditions but may not bloom under such conditions.
4. Black Forest Calla Lily
The Black Forest Calla Lily is very similar to the Black Star Lily. This is because they are both part of the Araceae family.
It is important to note that Calla Lilies come in many different colors and you should check which type of bulb you are purchasing if you are hoping for the Black Forest variety.
These are very unique lilies and can be difficult to source from local gardening stores.
The Black Forest Calla Lily was originally cultivated in the Middle East as an ornamental plant (Calla Lilies are also known as Zantedeschia Aethiopica – for more flowers that start with a Z, read here). The shape of the bloom is very tubular, an iconic lily shape.
The stem of the flowers is incredibly long which really helps to highlight the stunning and unusual flowers. The leaves on this lily are oversized and boast a bright green color that provides the perfect contrast for the deep hue of the blooms.
The Black Calla Lily enjoys moist but not soggy soil, they enjoy full or partial sunlight in warm conditions. They can also grow well in cooler temperatures but will need full sun to thrive and bloom yearly.
You should prune the dead leaves at the soil level to help ensure the nutrients are being used as effectively as possible. If you are growing these lilies in pots, you will need to re-pot them annually before the growing season.
Black Columbines And Iris’
If you want to bring some drama and elegance to your garden without having to put in lots of work to grow and maintain the flowers, black columbines, and iris’ are great choices. Both of these types of flowers are incredibly easy to grow.
In fact, if you leave the flowerheads in place and allow them to go to seed rather than deadheading them, they will self-sow and form a beautiful colony of plants in your garden with very little input from you. Below are a couple of the most stunning black Columbine and Iris plants.
5. Black Barlow Columbine
The Columbine Black Barlow plant is an upright plant that can grow to around 90 cm tall. The height and slenderness of the stem are enough to command attention in your garden on their own.
However, the striking pom-pom-like flowers bring a level of drama that is almost unmatched by any other black flower. This is a great flower to plant among shorter, brighter plants to really make a statement.
The leaves that this plant produces are surprisingly small compared to other plants that we have seen on this list. This means that the flowers stand out all on their own.
The small, divided leaves are a stunning green-gray color that doesn’t threaten to distract from the blooms.
In the early spring and summer months, the beautiful, pom-pom flowers bloom with a distinctive and dramatic deep purple hue that appears to be black. The drooping position of the flowers gives the plant a mournful appearance.
The Columbine Black Barlow plant can grow to a height of 0.5 m to 1 m. It takes between 2 and 5 years for the flower to reach its ultimate height and maturity.
This plant can thrive in full sun or partial shade when other conditions are met. This is an incredibly hardy plant that can withstand being exposed to the elements.
You will see flowers from this plant from the spring into the summer. It also produces foliage during the same months.
6. Black Bearded Iris
If you want a black flower that is going to be super easy to grow and care for but also brings tons of drama and movement to your garden, the Black Bearded Iris is the perfect option.
This plant boasts some of the darkest petals on this list and looks true black in many lights. Because Iris’ are super easy to look after, this is the perfect addition to an elegant or dramatic garden that is being cultivated by a newbie gardener.
As all Iris plants do, the Black Bearded Iris has a wonderfully sweet scent that will fill your garden throughout the summer months and make it an incredibly inviting place to be.
The aroma can also help to attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to your garden which helps to encourage new blooms. The flowers get their name from the shape of the petals.
Each flower has a ‘beard’ on the lower petals which gives a more dramatic appearance. The upper petals have a slightly more purple hue than the bottom petals.
Not only is the Black Bearded Iris a dramatic and elegant plant to have in your garden, but it also is useful for other plants. For best results in your garden, plant this Iris in a mixed herbaceous border or gravel garden.
Try to ensure that the Iris is dotted between the herbaceous plants in small groups. The soil should be well-drained and the plant should have full sun for the plant to thrive.
Black Roses & Tulips
Roses and Tulips are some of the most elegant and popular flowers that you can grow in your garden. However, we are used to seeing these plants bloom in bright colors such as reds, yellows, pinks, and oranges.
If you want to bring some drama to your garden, you can also get these wonderful flowers in darker tones that appear black from a distance. Below are some of the most beautiful black roses and tulips that you can plant in your garden.
7. Black Parrot Tulips
Tulips are incredibly elegant flowers that look great in any garden with any other flowers. However, they commonly come in bright colors. The Black Parrot Tulips, however, are much more striking and dramatic than their more common counterparts.
They still grow with the same elegant stem and beautifully shaped blooms as other tulips and boast the same wonderfully glossy petals which help to bring depth and shape to the dark tones.
The Black Parrot is a stunning perennial flower that can grow to a height of 50 cm. The foliage produced by this plant is broad and has a grayish color. This is the perfect contrast to the amazing blooms that are produced during the spring.
The large flowers bloom in a typical bulbous tulip shape. The true color of these flowers is an incredibly dark shade of purple that appears black to the human eye. The petals are glossy which helps to give them depth despite the dark, dramatic color.
As with many of the plants mentioned on this list, Black Parrot Tulips thrive when they are in full sunlight. However, they also need to be sheltered from the elements to protect their thin, tall stems.
Both the flowers and foliage bloom in the spring and will go to seed in the summer. These plants enjoy well-drained clay, sand, or loam soil.
8. Black Baccara Rose
The ultimate flower to bring both elegance and drama in equal measure is the Black Baccara Rose. This beautiful plant blooms into a traditional rose shape which exudes elegance and romance.
The dark color of the petals makes it look more dramatic in your flower beds. The plant can grow to be quite large so the size of your flower beds should be taken into consideration before planting this rose.
The Black Baccara Rose is an incredibly dense and bushy plant that can grow to around 1 m tall. The foliage that is produced by this plant is stunning by itself.
The leaves are a beautiful dark green color with a semi-matte finish which looks great when contrasted with other more glossy leaves in your garden.
The blooms themselves are large and imposing. The flowerheads can bloom to around 10 cm across. The petals are an incredibly dark burgundy-red shade that appears black in the right light.
When the light hits these beautiful flowers they appear to be velvety and soft.
The Black Baccara Rose enjoys growing in moist but well-drained soil. It prefers sand, chalk, or clay soils over compost soil. You can enjoy the beautiful semi-matte foliage from spring all the way through to the fall months.
The stunningly dramatic blooms will begin to appear in summer and continue to bloom in the fall. This plant needs full sun to thrive and produce its iconic blooms. It is fairly hardy but does benefit from being sheltered from the elements.
Petunias, Pansies, & Hybrids
If you want to introduce some dramatic black flowers to your garden but don’t want them to be overwhelming, especially if you have a small garden, petunias, pansies, and hybrid flowers could be just what you are looking for.
These amazing, small flowers bring all the elegance and drama of the larger flowers that we have looked at on this list.
However, they can easily be tucked in between other plants in your garden to provide contrast and interesting aesthetics rather than stealing the entire focus of the garden. Below are some of the most beautiful black petunias, pansies, and hybrids.
9. Black Mamba Petunia
Petunias always make wonderful plants for your borders or hanging baskets. They are small in size, but the stunning and iconic star-flower heads ensure that they always stand out.
This is even more true of the Black Mamba Petunia. This is a free flowering petunia that is incredibly versatile. If you are thinking of introducing black flowers into an already established garden, this could be the perfect option.
This flower boasts the beautiful bright green foliage that is associated with all petunia plants. The brilliantly green leaves provide the perfect backdrop on which to showcase the striking and dramatic flowers that this plant produces.
The petals bloom in the star-shaped pattern that is common for all petunia flowers. The Black Mamba Petunia has extremely deep purple petals that appear black in almost all lights. There is a slight sheen to the petals that give them a velvet-like appearance.
Petunias are fairly hardy plants. They will grow to a height of around 30 cm and will spread as wide as they are tall. They prefer to grow in well-drained and fertile soil.
You should regularly deadhead the blooms throughout the growing season to help prolong the flowering season. With adequate deadheading and growing conditions, the Black Mamba Petunia will flower consistently between June and October.
10. Clear Crystal Black Pansy
Another wonderfully delicate and small plant that still manages to bring incredible levels of mystery and elegance to your garden is the Clear Crystal Black Pansy.
This is a perennial plant that is more commonly grown as an annual. It is up to you whether you want to allow the plant to continue flowering year after year. You can plant this striking flower in flower beds, containers, rockeries, and even in hanging baskets.
As with the Black Mamba petunias, the foliage produced by this flower is a brilliant, bright green color. This provides an interesting contrast to the blooms that are produced.
This is another plant that produces almost pure black flowers. The slight sheen on the petals gives them a velvet-like appearance. The middle of the flower features a bright yellow burst of pollen that makes these flowers incredibly eye-catching.
The base of the petals, near the pollen, occasionally have a flash of bright purple that can bring more dimension to the plant. The flowers of this plant are completely edible too.
These small plants are incredibly hardy and can be sown in warmth around 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost to ensure that they bloom as early as possible. Germination only takes 10 – 20 days and the soil needs to be kept moist throughout.
If you want the plants to bloom later in the year, you can sow them directly into your flower beds in mid-spring after frosts are long gone. You can also sow seeds in late summer to produce flowers in the fall if the climate is mild enough.
11. Sweetunia Black Satin
The Sweetunia Black Satin plant is a type of petunia that has been specifically bred to be sweeter and more fragrant than other varieties of petunia.
The most common thing about Sweetunua plants is that they come in some of the most unique natural colors. These small but striking flowers can thrive in hanging baskets, planters, or in your flower beds.
Despite their dark color, they are brilliant at attracting hummingbirds and butterflies thanks to their incredible fragrance.
Another flower that has intensely dark petals, these stunning, delicate flowers appear to be pure black in almost all lighting.
These sweet little flowers are perfect for adding mysterious accents to your flower beds and hanging baskets to break up clusters of brighter flowers.
The center of the flower sinks back into a funnel which provides an even more dramatic look. The black-purple flowers will bloom from summer through to fall with regular deadheading.
These small, delicate flowers require full sunlight to be able to produce the striking blooms that make them so special. However, because they are so delicate, they need to be well sheltered from the elements, especially wind.
If you are planting them in hanging baskets the location needs to be sheltered or the baskets may need to be taken down during inclement weather. Well-drained sand or clay soil works best for this plant.
Other Black Flowers
There are so many different types of black flowers that you can plant in your garden. Not all of them fit into the categories that we have mentioned so far. Below are some of the most stunning black flowers that can bring mystery and elegance to your garden.
12. Black Bat Flower
If you are looking for a black flower that is going to bring mystery to your garden but that also commands attention, you can’t go wrong with the Black Bat Flower, part of the Tacca chantrieri species.
This is a unique-looking plant that is sure to make a statement in any garden. This is a more difficult plant to grow than others on this list, but it is definitely worth it when the bat flower blooms.
The flower gets its name from the way it looks when it is in full bloom. When fully open, the flowerhead looks similar to a bat with its wings spread out on either side. The seed pods and tendrils give the plant an all-around unique appearance.
The actual color of this flower is a dark purple shade, however, it often looks black in natural light. The foliage on this plant is oversized and features bright green, glossy leaves.
Planting a few of these plants in your flower beds can be the perfect way to bring some drama and life to your garden.
When the Black Bat Flower is fully grown, it can reach a height of around 36 in. It also spreads to around 12 in wide. Unlike most other plants on this list, this flower thrives in partial sun or dappled shade.
In the right conditions, this plant will flower from late summer through the fall months. It is a fairly hardy plant that enjoys fertile, well-drained soil.
13. Molly Sanderson Viola
This flower is very similar in appearance to the Clear Crystal Black Pansy. The Molly Sanderson Viola is a stunning, spreading evergreen perennial plant that creates a beautifully elegant aesthetic in almost any garden.
Because of the evergreen status of this plant, it can be a great addition to a garden that is lacking in winter-blooming plants to help maintain some color and life throughout the year.
The blooms that this plant produces are incredibly beautiful. The petals are large in comparison to the size of the plant.
Rather than being glossy or featuring a sheen that provides the appearance of a velvet finish, the petals on the Molly Sanderson Viola are almost matte.
This finish helps to make them appear to be a more pure black. The center of the bloom features a burst of yellow pollen with a flash of bright purple to add dimension to the bloom.
Molly Sanderson Violas only grow to a height of around 10 cm. It can take 2 – 5 years for the plant to reach its ultimate height.
This flower thrives in full sunlight, however, it can also grow well in partial shade if necessary. The plant can be exposed or sheltered from the elements.
14. Black Beauty Gladiolus
The Black Beauty Gladiolus is one of the most visually stunning blooms on this list. Best of all, these are fairly easy plants to grow in a domestic garden.
You can choose to fill an entire flower bed or border with these striking and elegant flowers, or you can plant them alongside other perennial flowers.
The Black Beauty Gladiolus is a stunning plant that is sure to grab attention in any garden. The foliage produced by this plant is stunning by itself before the flowers have even bloomed.
The leaves are a bright green color and point straight upright, tapering to thin points, much like a sword shape.
The spike stem that protrudes from the base of the plant produces funnel-shaped deep red flowers that have ruffled petals. The edges of the petals fade to a deep shade of black-red, providing plenty of drama.
The beautiful foliage of this plant is visible from spring all the way through to the end of fall. The striking towers of flowers bloom throughout the summer.
The Black Beauty Gladiolus can grow to a height of 1.5 m although it can take 2 – 5 years for it to reach full maturity. The Gladiolus prefers sandy soil that is moist but well-drained.
It thrives in full sunlight which helps to produce stunning blooms. The plant should be sheltered from the elements.
15. Midnight Mystique Hyacinth
If you are looking for a plant that brings elegance, mystery, and some height, the Midnight Mystique Hyacinth could be just what you are looking for.
Like all hyacinths, this plant is an upright, bulbous perennial plant that has striking blooms and foliage to make a statement in your garden. The best thing about hyacinths is that they are incredibly easy to grow and will provide color and fragrance to your garden.
The foliage produced by the Midnight Mystique hyacinth is stunning all by itself. The color of the leaves is a beautiful dark green-gray that stands out against soil and other foliage.
The leaves are fairly thick and have been described as being strap-like. From the center of the foliage, a strong stem shoots up. From this stem, bell-shaped purple-black flowers bloom.
The blooms of this plant are highly scented and are great at drawing pollinators such as bees and butterflies to your garden.
The Midnight Mystique Hyacinth will provide you with both foliage and flowers during the spring only. After this, it dies back ready for the following growing season.
The plant can grow to a height of 0.1 to 0.5 m. It can take between 2- 5 years to reach its ultimate height. You should make sure that this plant is located in full sun for the best results. It can grow in partial shade but it isn’t preferable.
16. Helleborus New York Night
The Helleborus New York Night flower is a Lenten Rose that features large, singular black flowers that bloom at the end of the stem. This is a showy plant that lasts throughout the growing season, providing color and mystery to your garden.
The foliage of this plant is evergreen which means that you will have something beautiful and colorful to look at all year round with this plant.
The evergreen foliage of this plant is one of the biggest selling points to convince you to use the flower in your garden. The leaves are glossy and boast a dark-green color that complements the blooms perfectly.
The blooms themselves appear at the top of single stems. The flowers range from deep gray-purple to jet black and black-purple.
Although this meshes well with the dark green foliage, it is contrasted by the center of the flower. The pollen stamens of this plant are light green in color which stands out against the striking dark petals.
This plant enjoys being in partial or full shade. The soil should be rich, moist, and well-drained. These are very hardy plants that can grow in less-than-ideal conditions.
However, the blooms will be more beautiful if the soil and light are just right. This is an easy plant to grow in your flower beds and borders and it is virtually disease and pest-free.
17. Alcea Rosea Nigra
The stunning Alcea Rosea Nigra flower is part of the Malvaceae family. It is an incredibly hardy plant that is relatively easy to grow.
When fully grown, the Alcea Rosea Nigra is a tall plant that not only brings elegance to your garden but can also help you to create levels and depth to your flower beds and borders.
This is a perennial plant but it is most often grown as a biennial due to the prevalence of rust fungal disease which can affect the leaves.
As we mentioned above, this plant is quite tall. The flowers that it produces bloom around the top of the main stem. The blooms are single, open flowers that boast an incredibly deep red-purple shade that appears to be black in most lights.
The center of the flower is highlighted by a large pollen appendage that is red when empty and a pale yellow color when full of pollen. The foliage is a bold green color with an almost matte finish.
Because the Alcea Rosea Nigra plant is so tall, it works best at the back of a border that gets a lot of sunlight. The plant should be cut down after flowering to encourage adequate basal growth. The soil should be moist but well-drained for this plant to thrive.
Leafy Black Plants
If you already have lots of flowering plants in your garden but still like the idea of having something black growing to bring mystery and elegance to your garden, there are some options that do not involve flowers.
Below, we will look at some of the best leafy black plants that can bring some drama to your garden.
18. Black Magic Elephant Ears
For a plant that is easy to care for but provides a huge, dramatic impact in your garden, look no further than Black Magic Elephant Ears.
As the name suggests, this is a black plant that features huge leaves that are similar in appearance to elephant ears. This plant is part of the Araceae family and is the perfect ornamental plant for your garden.
The stunning foliage of this plant is what has earned it a place on this list. Although the giant leaves are technically a dark purple color, they are so pigmented that they appear to be almost black to the human eye.
The leaves of this plant grow in clusters that create a rounded shape for the plant. It is very voluminous in size and therefore, requires a large area to grow in.
As long as you have the correct understanding of what the Black Magic Elephant Ears plant needs to thrive, it is a surprisingly easy plant to take care of. The plant thrives in bright, direct sunlight.
Exposure to full sunlight helps to produce the incredible dark purple color that makes the plant so unique. It can also grow in less light but the color will not be as intense.
Final Thoughts
There are so many elegant and mysterious black flowers and plants that you can add to your garden. These plants can help to bring some drama and contrast to your flower beds and hanging baskets.
You can make these black flowers the focal point of your garden or use them to break up groups of brightly colored flowers for an interesting aesthetic. Remember that it is important to think about successful companion plants when planning your flower beds.
Frequently Asked Questions
When it comes to creating a beautiful garden that you enjoy spending time in, it is important to think about the types of flowers that look really good when planted near each other.
When talking about clothing, we accept that black goes with everything, but this isn’t always the case with flowers.
The first thing that should be considered is that black flowers make an incredible impact when they are planted on their own. Because it is so unusual to see black flowers growing, they can be very eye-catching by themselves.
If you do want to have a bit more color in your garden, black flowers pair really well with maroon and white varieties of flowers.
Using white flowers can create a stunning monochromatic effect while the maroon companions can help to bring out the natural red undertones of many black flowers.
If we are being honest, there are no naturally occurring black flowers. In fact, there really aren’t any black flowers at all. The flowers which appear to be black, like the ones mentioned in this article are actually just incredibly dark shades of red or purple.
However, because they look black in almost all lighting, these flowers are often referred to as being black and it can even be in their name.
Out of all the flowers that appear to be black, the Black Petunia is considered to be the closest to true black. These flowers are often the result of hybrid breeding or interference of iron or magnesium levels to alter the color of the blooms.
As with all types and colors of flowers, different meanings, and symbolism has been attributed to black flowers throughout the years.
The true meaning of black flowers is likely to vary depending on different cultures, however, there are some generally accepted symbols and meanings.
In general, black flowers are used to symbolize power, mystery, and elegance. They can also be used to signify mourning or goodbyes.
For example, you may expect to see some black flowers at a funeral or during a period of mourning. In language or literature, black flowers, in particular, black roses, can symbolize death, hatred, and despair.
I love sharing my experiences with individuals in this community, and I enjoy sharing some of the best tips I have learned over the years caring for my own garden at home.
In my articles, you will find the best flowers, most fragrant flowers you can plant in your garden, how to care for your favorite plants, informative guides and how-tos so you can have the best backyard in town!
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