Scary Garden Plants
Plants, like people, have always been split into groups of good and bad, useful or harmful – therefore, it shouldn’t be a surprise to learn that there are many creepy plants out there. So what makes a plant scary? It could be nothing more than its name, such as:
Devil’s tongue Blood lily Spider orchid Bleeding heart Bloodroot Snake’s head iris
Sometimes, in addition to the name, it’s the mere color of a plant that makes it creepy – black being the most common here.
Superstition iris Black elephant’s ear Black bat flower Black hellebore
Color isn’t the only factor in plants being considered dark or scary. Some of them are simply unusual with respects to growth or behavior. Still others may be scary because of their toxicity or historical background (usually based solely on superstition). Some of these plants include:
Rose twisted stalk Hepatica Mayapple, aka devils apple Water hemlock, aka poison parsnip Deadly nightshade Mandrake, devil’s candle Wolfsbane Henbane Jimson weed Stinging nettle
Still others are known for their horrible and rotting smells:
Dragon arum Carrion flower Skunk cabbage
And, of course, there’s frightful carnivorous plants, which get hungry for more than just ordinary fertilizer. Among these include:
Venus flytrap Pitcher plant Butterwort Sundew Bladderwort
Using Creepy Plants For The Garden
The use of creepy, scary-looking plants in your garden will depend on personal preference as much as the effect you are looking to achieve. For example, with Halloween in mind, your focus may be centered on the colors orange and black. You don’t have to rely merely on these colors, however. Deep maroon can also help set off the Halloween garden, as they evoke thoughts of evil doers. If color alone is not your thing, then maybe creating a spooky, plant eating garden might be. Create a bog with carnivorous plants or a smelly plant garden. Then again, your creepy plant garden may be nothing more than herbs or flowers with superstitious histories. Regardless, keep in mind that if you have kids or pets, you should not plant anything in your garden that may be toxic. Research your creepy plants carefully beforehand.
