(Almost) Black Plants
True black plants are nonexistent in nature, but some of these sumptuous gems exhibit shades of the deepest purple. For contrast and sheer beauty, they’re intriguing additions to your garden or home.
True black plants are nonexistent in nature, but some of these sumptuous gems exhibit shades of the deepest purple. For contrast and sheer beauty, they’re intriguing additions to your garden or home.
1. Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas ‘Illusion Midnight Lace'). This low-maintenance plant with cascading foliage works well in containers or as an annual ground cover. Zone 9. Sun.
2. Small Cape Rush (Chondropetalum tectorum). This plant has strappy green leaves with brown sheaths that drop in summer, leaving behind a dark band, followed by brownish-black flowers that emerge from its tips late in the season. Zones 9 and 10. Drought tolerant; full sun.
3. Black Cotton (Gossypium herbaceum ‘Nigra’). This ornamental cotton can grow as high as three feet. Its rich black leaves and burgundy hibiscus-like flowers give way to seedpods that, when ripe, open to reveal fluffy white cotton. Zone 4. Full sun.
4. Hens and Chicks (Echeveria ‘Black Prince’). A succulent with short rosette clumps of dark leaves, this plant has salmon-red flowers that appear in late season. It’s ideal in containers, in rock gardens, or as the edge of a dry border. Zone 9. Full sun (for best color).
1. Elderberry (Sambucus ‘Black Lace’). Cut back this fast-growing shrub in the spring, and it will still grow to eight feet by midsummer. Its pink flowers contrast elegantly with its leaves, and its dark berries can be used to make elderberry wine. Use in a mixed border, or plant en masse as a hedge. Zone 4. Sun.
2. Petunia (Petunia? ‘Black Velvet’). A cool-season annual with the deepest black flowers of any petunia. Plant in the spring and fall to get the best color and show. Zone 5. Sun to partial shade.
3. Black Tree Aeonium (Aeonium aeonium var. artropurpureum ‘Schwarzkopt’). This is a fine option for containers in dry, sunny locations or as a houseplant. Its yellow flowers are a refreshing foil to its dark leaves. Zone 10. Sun.
1. Elephant Ear (Colocasia ‘Jet Black Wonder'). This tropical stunner has large, heart-shaped leaves and can grow up to four feet. A great statement in a container, it can also be used as a bold-leaved plant in the garden or as a pond plant. Zone 9. Sun to partial shade.
2. Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘?Nigrescens’). This strappy evergreen’s grasslike foliage is as black as nature gets. It spreads slowly but makes an excellent deer-resistant ground cover. It features pale pink flowers in midsummer and black, fleshy seeds in the fall.
Zone 7. Sun to shade.
3. Green Cliff Brake Fern (C?heilanthes viridis). Apple-green fronds on wire-thin black stems grow 12 to 18 inches tall in a stiff, upright habit that’s deer resistant. This fern, unlike most, prefers sun. Zones 7 to 9. Sun.
1. Rex Begonia (Begonia rex ‘Black Fancy’). This dramatic plant offers handsome scalloped foliage for the shaded areas of a garden; it can also be used as a houseplant. Its small pink flowers arrive in winter, and it thrives in humid conditions with well-drained soil. Be sure not to overwater or overfertilize. Zone 10. Partial shade.
2. Bugbane (Actea simplex ‘Hillside Black Beauty’). This stunning plant’s purple leaves provide a striking backdrop for other shade lovers. In fall, its cream-colored flowers bloom on wandlike stems. Zone 3. Partial shade.
1. Ornamental Pepper (Capsicum? ‘Black Pepper’). This plant’s purple leaves and fruit make a lively addition to an annual border. The peppers have a spicy kick, so be careful if using them for cooking. Like all peppers, this one prefers full sun and is tolerant of drought and heat. Zone 10. Sun.
2. Purple Shamrock (Oxalis regnellii ‘Pink Princess’). This sweet oxalis grows eight to ten inches tall; it features richly colored leaves and light pink star-shaped flowers. It’s suited to planting indoors or outside. Zones 7 to 9. Partial sun to light shade.
3. Angel Wings (Caladium ‘Black Stem’). An excellent shade plant for containers or in the garden, the caladium has black stems and pink mottled foliage with dark green veining, offering a striking accent to any area. Zone 11. Shade to partial shade.
