Although having bright, colorful flowers can create a cheerful atmosphere, you might want plants that are unique and unusual to make a dramatic statement. Or, if you’re into gothic aesthetics, black houseplants can be the perfect choice for you!
Although it might be difficult to think of a black houseplant right off the top of your head, there are many different types you can get. While they might not always offer solid black blooms or leaves, they’re filled with personality because of their dark appearance.
Black houseplants are sophisticated, mystical, striking, and beautiful. So, let’s explore what you need to know about the best black houseplants and why you should create some space in your home for them.
Our Picks for the Best Black Houseplants
If you’re looking for black houseplants, we’ve listed ten that are relatively low-maintenance and can quickly turn into striking additions to your home. While they’ll certainly be the perfect Halloween home decoration, you’ll want them in your living space all year round.
1. Black Pansies
Pansies are always pretty, but have you seen black pansies? These are worthy of attention because their petals are completely black instead of having hints of red or burgundy in them, as is the case with other dark flowers. They do, however, have yellow in the center to provide a bit of contrast. While they look beautiful on their own, pairing them with lighter, brighter pansy varieties can create an attractive corner at your home.
To ensure that your black pansies continue to bloom, you need to water them when their soil is dry up to about one inch (2.54cm) below the surface. Since potted pansies will require quite a bit of water, this can cause them to lose nutrients. So, you want to ensure that your indoor plants are fertilized on a 10-day cycle as this will replace any lost nutrients. You can make your own compost for them.
Pansies need around six hours of sunlight every day, so place them in a sunny spot.
2. Chinese Jade
This plant is a succulent with eye-catching rosettes of dark green or blue leaves that turn black when the plant is exposed to very sunny areas of the home or garden. It reaches up to 3.9 inches (10cm) in height and develops thick clumps. It also has round leaves that end in sharp tips.
It’s easy to look after this plant. Ensure you give it enough sun so that it reveals its dark leaves. However, even if it’s not in full-sun conditions, it will still grow and thrive. Water your Chinese Jade only when its potting mix has become dry, so don’t overwater it.
3. Black Rose
Although roses are not naturally found in shades of black, plant developers darken the color of some of their rose varieties. However, it’s important to know that you can’t get completely black roses because they don’t grow in nature, with most black rose varieties being very dark red in color that looks black from a distance.
An example includes the Rosa “Black Prince” variety. Even though pictures you might see of this rose online display its red petals, it does become a very dark, almost black rose. Another dark rose variety is the “Ebb Tide.” It’s deep purple in color and can sometimes look like a smoky plum, which is almost black.
Ensure you give your black roses about six hours of direct light every day and plant them in loose soil. Water your roses enough so that their soil remains moist. It can also help to mist your roses every few days to ensure they get enough hydration.
4. Black Velvet
Black Velvet is a slow-growing plant with large, tropical leaves that are heart- or arrow-shaped. Although its flowers (which rarely bloom) aren’t very visible or noteworthy, you’ll want Black Velvet for its thick, dark green leaves that are almost black. They also have silver veins on them to add to the plant’s unique appearance.
To continue looking good, this plant needs bright but indirect light and a loose potting medium that drains well. Leave its topsoil to become about 20% dry between waterings. This will ensure you don’t give it too much hydration.
However, Black Velvet needs more than 50% humidity, so mist it regularly or use a pebble tray to ensure it gets enough moisture. You could even grow it in a terrarium, which is a wonderful way to put its dark foliage on display. As a bonus, terrariums also use fewer resources, such as land, so they can help you become more eco-friendly.
5. Black Hen and Chicks (Sempervivum ‘Black’)
This type of plant is succulent and is very easy to care for because it thrives in pots and containers. It’s simple to maintain, so it’s ideal for gardening beginners.
Black Hen and Chicks has pointy leaves that are thick and grow in rosettes. The leaves are almost completely black, but they have dashes of purple and green in them, which gives them quite the personality.
This plant thrives in areas of the home where it will get lots of sunlight. If your home doesn’t get enough light during the winter, you should invest in artificial grow lights.
Water this black houseplant rarely, as it is highly resistant to dry and drought conditions. Give it well-draining soil and only water it when the soil feels dry. A quality cactus and succulent potting mix are suitable to encourage its growth.
6. Black Mondo Decorative Grass
This decorative grass is usually used as ground cover but it’s actually a member of the asparagus family. It has long, thin leaves that can be green or purple-black in color. It also has pretty lilac flowers that appear above the leaves, and these provide contrast with its beautiful black leaves.
When the temperature is warmer, the plant will become darker in color so those are the conditions you should create in your home to encourage your grass to become darker. However, its minimum temperature requirement is 5°F (-15°C).
Although you might think this plant should be kept outdoors, it looks fantastic when it spills over containers or pots. Ensure you plant it in moist and slightly acidic soil that drains well. It wants consistently moist soil, so make sure you keep it well watered.
When it comes to its sunlight requirements, this decorative grass isn’t too fussy. It grows well in sunny, shady, or half-shade conditions.
7. Rubber Plant
Although you’re probably familiar with green rubber plants, you can also find varieties that are black-hued. A beautiful variety is ‘Burgundy’ which has thick burgundy leaves which are almost black. Another variety is the ‘Black Knight,’ which displays greenish-black leaves.
To care for your rubber plant, ensure you plant it in well-aerated and well-drained potting soil. Keep it in an area of the home where it will receive bright, indirect light. If it starts to lose leaves or they lose its glossiness, this indicates it needs more light.
How much water your rubber plant needs depends on the season. During summer, keep your plant moist and mist it. However, only water your plant once a month during fall and winter. If the plant’s leaves start to look droopy, this means you need to top up its water.
8. Living Stones
Living Stones are interesting and unusual succulent plants that look like pebbles. You can find them in various colors, such as grey and brown, and they all resemble pebbles which protect them against predators. However, they usually contain a blend of colors like rust, green, gray, and brown, so you won’t get them in a solid, inky black.
Ensure you give Living Stones as much light as possible. When growing them in the home, place them in a bright window or get them artificial grow lights. If these plants don’t get enough light, they will lose their beautiful color.
Plant them in a potting mix that’s for cacti, and make sure you don’t water them too much. Living Stones require water during the spring when their soil is dry. This is also when they start producing new leaves. However, don’t water them when the plant is dormant, which occurs during winter and summer. During the fall, water the plant as it will be ready to bloom.
When it comes to their humidity requirements, these plants perform well at room temperature.
9. Coleus
Coleus is a striking, dramatic plant with leaves that come in different colors or with various colorful edging. You can find it in many dark, almost-black colors, with a beautiful variety called ‘Black Magic.’ It has purplish-black leaves with green edges. Since this plant has light green on it, it looks beautiful when placed next to houseplants with pale green leaves.
To look after Coleus plants, keep their soil moist. If the soil dries out, the plant’s leaves will turn brown around the edges. Only water it when the top inch (2.54cm) of its soil feels dry. If your region is experiencing a hot day during the summer, you should water your Coleus twice a day. Keep Coleus in loose potting soil. Ensure that its pot has drainage holes so that the plant doesn’t sit in water.
Prevent your plant from sitting in cold areas or next to air conditioners, as these will dry it out. Coleus wants indirect, bright light to thrive.
10. Elephant Ears (Colocasia esculenta ‘Black Magic’)
Known as ‘Black Magic,’ this dark houseplant is a fun twist on plants with traditional green foliage. Although not strictly black and more purple-red in color, this houseplant has gorgeous heart-shaped leaves. It can reach up to 36 inches (91cm) in height.
Although Elephant Ears that are green can tolerate more light, darker varieties require shade or filtered light. Make sure you keep this plant in moist soil as it requires these conditions to thrive. However, the soil should be well-draining. While green varieties can handle a number of moisture conditions, you have to be a bit careful with black varieties as they don’t want to be overwatered.
Place your Elephant Ears in pots with flowering annuals that also want moist soil and filtered-light conditions. Or, plant it in a pot on its own. When placed against a white or pastel wall, this black houseplant will provide a sophisticated and striking contrast.
Conclusion
Darker, more mystical houseplants add a dash of drama to your living space and so much character. We hope that you found your next favorite houseplant among the ones we’ve listed in this article. Remember, to enjoy the beautiful black leaves or flowers of your plant, you have to properly take care of it!
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