Halloween doesn’t have to mean inflatable ghosts, plastic skeletons, and piles of glittery cobwebs that a) get everywhere and b) are downright terrible for the environment. If Audrey II taught us anything in The Little Shop Of Horrors, in fact, it’s this: spooky porch plants make for a darkly dramatic – and elegant – display.
Yes, if you prefer your seasonal style to be more ‘bewitching apothecary chic’ than (ahem) ‘Halloween clearance bin’, then don’t ignore all the moody living plants that ooze gothic glamor. Especially as so many of them are the sort of low-maintenance patio plants that look good all year round.
The best thing about spooking up your container gardening ideas? Most Halloween decor gets packed up after a fortnight; plants offer color, structure, and strange beauty well into spring and beyond. So, whether you plant yours up in pots or cauldrons (we’re obsessed with the Root & Vessel Antique Kettle Planter on Amazon), here’s our pick of the best…
1. Black Mondo Grass
If you’re in the market for a spooky porch plant that packs a sensory punch with its whispering black foliage and unsettling shadows, then look no further than Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’, otherwise known as black mondo grass.
‘The black mondo grass is a ground covering plant with thin black, evergreen foliage, and it can be used in a container as a low-edging plant,’ says Andrew Bunting, VP of Horticulture for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and author of The Plant Lover's Guide To Magnolias (available on Amazon).
You can pick up three containers of black mondo grass on Amazon at the moment; just remember they thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 10, and they need well-draining soil.
2. Coleus
If you’re looking for spooky porch plants that promise high impact with very little effort, then you need to grow coleus. With so many varieties available, you can find one that suits your porch, whether it’s shady or sunny or somewhere in between, but remember they’re only winter-hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11.
That caveat aside, there are colors aplenty to choose from if you go down this route. Mix and match to your taste, then, and you can create a display that’s filled with vibrants reds and oranges, moody blacks and purples, or Disney villain-coded greens.
Amazon’s Coleus Black Dragon Live Plant is one of our top picks for the season, thanks to its gothic color contrast.
3. Elephant Ear
Another of Andrew’s favorite spooky plants is the Colocasia esculenta ‘Black Coral’ – aka an elephant ear variety that boasts large, bold, black (with occasional lightning streaks of neon blue) leaves.
‘This tropical plant makes a great plant for summer displays, including a focal point in a container,’ he says.
Most elephant ears can grow in full sun but prefer some shade, and they are best suited to USDA Zones 8 to 12. If you can meet these requirements, then pick up a Black Coral Elephant Ear on Amazon and get ready to make it the star of your Halloween display.
4. Begonia
As there are so many begonias with dark leaves to choose from, it would be entirely remiss of us not to include it on our list of spooky porch plants. They only need a few hours of direct sunlight a day, and are generally hardy in USDA Zones 9-11, too.
You can pick up a set of two Begonia Angel Wing Maculatas via Amazon in your choice of colors, from Wednesday Addams-style purple and whites to pumpkin spiced oranges. Pick the one that suits your Halloween vibe best, and lean into it. Hard.
5. Sweet Potato Vine
Another of Andrew’s picks for spooky porch plants, he promises that ‘the groundcovering annual sweet potato vine, Ipomoea ‘Jet Black’ covers the ground quickly or can be utilized as a “spiller” in containers’.
Something like Amazon’s Sweet Potato Vine 'Blackie', with its deep purple foliage, would be brilliant for the task of scaring your neighbors when they come visiting at Halloween. Equally, though, this hardworking multi-tasker (best suited to USDA zones 9-11 for outdoor planting) promises springtime blooms and deliciously edible tubers come fall, too.
Throw in the fact it purifies the air like a pro while unsettling the mailman, and you have so many reasons to add one of these to your porch come 31 October.
6. Elderberry
Not all elderberry are made equal when it comes to spooky porch plants, but Andrew really rates the Sambucus nigra Black Lace® for the job. ‘This shrub has fine, black foliage and white flowers in mid-summer,’ he says, which explains why this one is so much more than a one-hit wonder for Halloween.
Growing well in full sun or partial shade, and well suited to USDA zones 5-8, Andrew adds that if you want ‘to keep the foliage vibrant, you should cut this plant back once a year in the late winter’.
Try Amazon’s Green Promise Farms Sambucus NIGRA `Black LACE` (Elderberry) Shrub if you want to get this shrub on your patio, stat.
7. Chrysanthemums
Last but by no means least on our list of spooky porch plants is a classic fall favorite: chrysanthemums. Adding instant seasonal flair alongside your pumpkins, they prefer full sun and regular watering, and hardy varieties can return in USDA Zones 5-9 (although you can use them as annuals otherwise).
If you want to get the Halloween look seen at the top of this article, try grouping your jack-o-lanterns alongside a big pot (or three) of Amazon’s Orange Mums. Easy.
Of course, there are plenty more options when it comes to spooky porch plants; you can add drama and shadow with some of the best fern varieties for pots, for example, or you could try growing hostas in a variety of striking colors for added drama.
If you want to unleash your inner witch, there are lots of herbs to plant in fall that fit the bill (remember: Sandra Bullock’s character in Practical Magic always made a point of planting rosemary by her garden gate and lavender for luck). And don’t forget all of those potted trees to grow for fall foliage, too; a Japanese maple, for example, would add some serious treat (no trick) magic to your porch at this time of year.
Whichever route you choose, you’re guaranteed to turn heads this Halloween for all the right reasons. Good luck…
