Exciting Black Flowers You Need to Grow in Your Garden
These dark-hued blooms are sure to make a statement in your landscape or vase.
Black flowers rarely occur in nature, but when they do, they are showstoppers. If you look closely, you’ll see that their petals are actually very dark red or purple. Nevertheless, these inky-hued flowers will turn heads in moody bouquets. And in the garden, they’re perfect for a farmhouse-style planting where they’ll add depth, intrigue, and mystery.
The following plants produce some of the most striking black flowers you can grow in your garden. Most of these varieties are winter hardy across several regions of the country, so they’ll return every year. Their blooms can last up to two weeks in a vase, a plus for cutting gardens and floral arrangements.
01 of 09
Black Dahlia
Peter Krumhardt
The dahlia is a fan-favorite black flower during the fall months in seasonal arrangements. Its dusky flowers also make it a garden standout when it begins blooming in late summer into autumn.
Zones: 8-11
Height: Up to 5 feet tall
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
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02 of 09
Queen of the Night Tulip
Jay Wilde
A simple bulb to grow, ‘Queen of the Night’ tulip makes a dramatic addition to containers, beds, and borders. In late spring, its velvety, deep-hued blooms look especially eye-catching when combined with white or yellow flowers.
Zones: 2-8
Height: Up to 2 feet tall
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
03 of 09
Chocolate Cosmos
Michael Jensen
Though these summer-blooming flowers are maroon close up, they appear almost black from a distance. This perennial grows particularly well in containers but can also fill among larger blooms like dahlias or lilies in your garden. Chocolate cosmos emits a scent similar to red velvet cake and adds fine texture to floral arrangements.
Zones: 7-11
Height: Up to 4 feet tall
Growing conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
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04 of 09
Black Bat Flower
passion4nature/Getty Images
Native to tropical areas of Asia, black bat flowers can survive outdoors in subtropical climates, too. In colder regions, move them indoors for winter, where they make intriguing houseplants. The whiskery, bat-like flowers usually appear in summer into fall.
Zones: 10-11
Height: 2-3 feet
Growing conditions: Part to full shade and well-drained soil
05 of 09
Watchman Hollyhock
Susan A. Roth
This variety of hollyhock looks stunning in the back of borders or beds. It blooms on tall, sturdy stems in mid to late summer, its large, almost-black flowers attracting all sorts of pollinators.
Zones: 3-9
Height: 5-6 feet
Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
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06 of 09
New York Night Hellebore
Walters Gardens, Inc.
This perennial will give your garden an air of mystery as it starts blooming in late winter. The flower’s dark purple hue and yellow center make for exciting additions to floral arrangements, too.
Zones: 4-9
Height: Up to 2 feet
Growing conditions: Part to full shade and well-drained soil
07 of 09
Black Baccara Rose
jessica solomatenko/Getty Images
‘Black Baccara’ is a petite hybrid tea rose that blooms from spring to fall. Its velvety burgundy petals darken to look like black flowers as they age. Its long, sturdy stems last for up to two weeks in a vase.
Zones: 5-9
Height: Up to 4 feet tall
Growing conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
08 of 09
Night Rider Lily
Courtesy of Jerzy Strzelecki/Wikimedia Commons
Large, satiny-textured, deep violet ‘Night Rider’ hybrid lilies make striking additions to containers and flower beds. Each stem produces several buds that open from early to mid-summer. The upward-facing flowers work especially well for cut arrangements, too.
Zones: 4-9
Height: Up to 30 inches tall
Growing conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil
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09 of 09
Black Knight Sweet Peas
Kritsada Panichgul
One of the darkest varieties of sweet pea, ‘Black Knight’ blooms are a deep crimson that look like black flowers in shade. These climbing annuals will add a strong fragrance while they bloom for several weeks from spring to summer.
Zones: Annual
Height: Up to 6 feet tall
Growing conditions: Full sun to light shade and evenly moist, well-drained soil