13+ Spooky Flowers and Plants for Halloween

Halloween is one of the most creative holidays of the year, and flowers are a great way to bring spooky vibes into your home or party. Beyond pumpkins and cobwebs, spooky flowers and scary plants can turn your space into something haunting yet elegant. Whether you want a spooky bouquet of flowers for your table, eerie décor for your porch, or striking arrangements for a Halloween party, these blooms add the perfect touch.

October ushers in the spookiest season of the year, when the boundaries between life and death become blurred, and ghosts walk among us. Halloween is beloved like no other holiday. 93% of Americans celebrate the spooky day in some fashion. Neighbors compete to have the scariest decorations and the best treats, and Halloween parties bring out costumed revelers of all ages. Some true devotees even choose the spooky holiday as their wedding day!

Halloween decorations don’t have to be limited to jack-o-lanterns and jump-scare inducing special effects. There are some genuinely spooky flowers that will elevate your Halloween decor, whether you’re going for truly terrifying haunted house vibes or Addams Family chic. In addition to traditional orange, think ghostly white, or choose from a myriad of “black” blooms, each with a uniquely eerie mood.

Spooky Halloween flowers can add the finishing touch to your scary scenario, but these dramatic blooms can easily steal the show. Black blooms and dried seed pods create a delightfully sinister feel, while a mix of ghost-white flowers is sure to evoke chills. Combine orange and black for a more traditional “trick or treat” atmosphere, and don’t forget to punctuate your spooky Halloween bouquets with a few blood-red blooms! We’ve collected some of our favorites to combine for a spectacularly spooky bouquet of flowers.

Below, we’ll go through more than 13 flowers and plants with dark, mysterious, or creepy qualities. For each one, you’ll learn about its origins, how to care for it, décor ideas, and even which flowers it pairs well with in Halloween arrangements.

1. Black Roses

Black roses are perhaps the most iconic spooky flowers. While they are deep red or purple in reality, their appearance is close to black, giving them a haunting elegance. They’re often linked to mystery and gothic romance. Read more about black roses symbolism.

Origin: Originally cultivated in Turkey, especially in the village of Halfeti, where soil conditions make them appear almost black.
Care Tips: Keep in fresh water, change water every two days, and trim stems diagonally.
Décor Tips: Use them in gothic centerpieces with dark candles and lace.
Pairs Well With: White calla lilies for contrast, deep burgundy dahlias, or eucalyptus for texture.
Shop: Black rose bouquets.

2. Bat Flowers (Tacca chantrieri)

With bat-shaped dark petals and long whisker-like filaments, bat flowers are among the scariest flowers for Halloween. They look like creatures flying in the night.

Origin: Native to Southeast Asia, especially Thailand and Malaysia.
Care Tips: They need humidity, indirect light, and warm temperatures. Mist them regularly indoors.
Décor Tips: Place in tall vases as statement pieces for Halloween parties.
Pairs Well With: Black roses, dark orchids, and greenery like monstera leaves.

3. Black Calla Lilies

Sleek, trumpet-shaped blooms with dark purple to almost-black petals. They represent mystery and elegance.

Origin: Native to southern Africa.
Care Tips: Keep in well-drained soil and partial sun if planted. In arrangements, change water every two days.
Décor Tips: Perfect for minimalist spooky bouquets of flowers with black or silver vases.
Pairs Well With: White anemones, dusty miller, or blood-red roses.

4. Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus titanum)

Known as one of the world’s largest flowers, the corpse flower emits a strong odor of decaying flesh when in bloom, making it one of the most truly scary plants.

Origin: Native to Sumatra, Indonesia.
Care Tips: Grows only in tropical climates. Best admired in botanical gardens.
Décor Tips: While impractical for homes, photographs or miniature replicas of corpse flowers add creepy décor value.
Pairs Well With: Works well as a thematic contrast when paired with delicate orchids or lilies in displays.

5. Marigolds

Known as “flowers of the dead,” marigolds play a major role in Día de los Muertos. Their bright orange and gold tones can balance out darker spooky flowers.

Origin: Native to Mexico and Central America.
Care Tips: Easy to grow outdoors in sunny spots, water when soil is dry.
Décor Tips: Line pathways with marigolds in jack-o’-lantern buckets or scatter petals on tables.
Pairs Well With: Black calla lilies, chrysanthemums, or sunflowers for a fiery look.

6. Black Orchids

These exotic orchids have deep purple-black petals that look haunting and elegant. They symbolize mystery and rarity.

Origin: Found in Central and South America.
Care Tips: Keep in indirect light with consistent watering and humidity.
Décor Tips: Use in sleek, modern arrangements with tall vases.
Pairs Well With: White orchids, silver eucalyptus, and dusty miller.

7. Ghost Orchids

These scary flowers are known to be described as rare and eerie orchids with white blooms that seem to float in the air, resembling spirits.

Origin: Native to Florida, Cuba, and the Caribbean.
Care Tips: Require high humidity and indirect light, making them difficult for beginners.
Décor Tips: Use artificial ghost orchids for spooky decorations at home.
Pairs Well With: Black orchids or ferns for contrast.

8. Dark Red (Black) Dahlias

The black dahlia has a place in true crime history, but the name is a little misleading. There are no truly black dahlias.In the case of “black” dahlias, the petals are deep red to dark brown, giving the appearance of black blooms. “Karma Choc” dahlias’ petals are possibly the darkest, and multilayered, giving a heavy, ominous look, while the single layer of spiky dark petals on “Honka Black” bring a different spooky vibe. Deep crimson petals give these flowers a blood-like richness, making them perfect scary flowers for arrangements.

Origin: Native to Mexico and Central America.
Care Tips: Plant in sunny areas with rich soil. In arrangements, change water regularly.
Décor Tips: Great for Halloween wedding bouquets or gothic table centerpieces.
Pairs Well With: Black roses, marigolds, and eucalyptus.

9. Spider Mums

 With thin, spindly petals that look like spider legs, spider mums add a creepy-crawly vibe.

Origin: Native to China and Japan.
Care Tips: Long-lasting cut flowers, trim stems and refresh water often.
Décor Tips: Arrange in black cauldrons or pumpkin vases.
Pairs Well With: Purple asters, orange marigolds, and black roses.

10. Black Tulips

 Dark, velvety tulips symbolize elegance with a sinister twist. Perfect for dramatic Halloween displays.

Origin: Bred in the Netherlands.
Care Tips: Keep soil moist and place in cool areas. For cut tulips, change water daily.
Décor Tips: Arrange in crystal vases for a gothic luxury vibe.
Pairs Well With: White lilies, purple calla lilies, or eucalyptus.

11. Pitcher Plants

Carnivorous plants with deep tubular leaves that trap insects. Their unusual shapes make them scary plants for Halloween décor.

Origin: Found in North America, Asia, and Australia.
Care Tips: Require bright light and moist soil. Use distilled water.
Décor Tips: Display in terrariums or glass jars at spooky events.
Pairs Well With: Moss, ferns, or orchids in Halloween terrariums.

12. Venus Flytraps

Famous carnivorous plants with jaw-like leaves that snap shut to trap prey. Great conversation starters for Halloween.

Origin: Native to North and South Carolina, USA.
Care Tips: Need plenty of sunlight and distilled water. Do not overfeed.
Décor Tips: Place on tables in small pots with cobweb decorations.
Pairs Well With: Moss and miniature pumpkins for themed arrangements.

13. Purple Anemones

Their bold purple petals and dark centers look haunting yet elegant, ideal for a spooky bouquet of flowers.

Origin: Native to the Mediterranean region.
Care Tips: Keep in fresh water and change every two days.
Décor Tips: Great for accenting gothic wedding bouquets or eerie dinner tables.
Pairs Well With: Black tulips, white ranunculus, and eucalyptus.

More Spooky Flowers & Plants

Lotus Pods

These dried, deep brown lotus seed pods will definitely be a focal point, and should be combined with flowers that complement and don’t compete for attention. Beware, though, in addition to just being spooky looking, they might trigger trypophobia, a fear of clusters of holes. When the lotus loses its seeds, the pod is left with large, oddly clustered holes which, phobia or not, make for an extra spooky bouquet.

Black Columbine

“Black Barlow” columbine is popular in cutting gardens and bouquets. The double blooms are deep plum, nearly black, and resemble pompons. If you’re creating a ghostly white themed bouquet, there’s “White Barlow”, a similar double bloom in white.

“Love Lies Bleeding” Amaranthus

Small red flowers make up the long tassels of “Love Lies Bleeding”, which seem poised to reach out and grab unsuspecting guests. A florist’s favorite, “Love Lies Bleeding” is often paired with “Black Baccara” roses for an elegant, haunting bouquet.

Scabiosa Pods

The pale, ghostly round heads of Scabiosa seem made just for the season. Combine them with black spider mums for striking contrast, or to elevate the ethereal, ghostly feel, pair scabiosa pods with white blooms like mums or ranunculus.

Cobra Lilies

If Halloween is your excuse to create your own “little shop of horrors,” you need the carnivorous cobra lily. Named for its unique shape, the plant’s pitcher (funnel-shaped leaves at the top of the plant) arches downward, and is hooded, resembling a cobra. It’s also a voracious insectivore, serving as both entertainment and pest control for your Halloween festivities. Pair them with black spider mums and dahlias for a dramatic, spooky bouquet of flowers.

Decorating with Spooky Flowers and Plants

Don’t be afraid to play with mixing your Halloween decorations into flower arrangements to elevate the spookiness. Strategically placed skeleton hands can make a big impact. Place flower arrangements in the tops of skulls and jack-o-lanterns. A ghoulish face peeking from behind from behind the flowers might not be noticed until it’s close enough to startle a guest!

Simple additions like bare twigs and branches or chains can add spooky texture. And you can have lots of fun using lighting to give your Halloween flowers a haunted glow. This is a great time to be creative and bold!

Send Spooky Flowers in Time for Halloween

Spooky flowers and scary plants offer endless possibilities for decorating during the Halloween season. Whether you’re hosting a haunted house, a gothic dinner, or a Halloween wedding, these flowers can set the perfect mood. Don’t wait until the last minute order Halloween flowers to make your celebration unforgettable.

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