Creepy Plants For The Garden - Growing Scary Looking Plants

Fly Like Looking Plant
green dendrobium spider orchid
(Image credit: ReformBoehm)

Why not take advantage of all the scary looking plants and creepy plants by creating a garden themed around the exciting Halloween holiday. If it's too late now in your region, there's always next year, so now is the time for planning. Read on to get tips on creating a spook-tacular garden of scary plants.

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:

Sometimes, in addition to the name, it's the mere color of a plant that makes it creepy - black being the most common here.

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:

Still others are known for their horrible and rotting smells:

And, of course, there's frightful carnivorous plants, which get hungry for more than just ordinary fertilizer. Among these include:

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.

Nikki Tilley
Senior Editor

Nikki Tilley has been gardening for nearly three decades. The former Senior Editor and Archivist of Gardening Know How, Nikki has also authored six gardening books.