Taking care of plants may feel overwhelming if you’re a newbie. And taking care of odd-looking houseplants can feel even more intimidating. “I really don’t want to kill this black beauty,” you may be thinking.
Don’t worry, the black houseplants that I’ll introduce to you in this post are easy to take care of, and they will reward you with their waxy leaves and gorgeous elegance as long as you keep one thing in mind: most houseplant die due to overwatering. Seriously, don’t be that person!
One very important point to note is that there is no such thing as a guaranteed black houseplant.
All of the recommendations below have many various cultivars, so double check that you’re buying the right one.
Philodendron ‘Black Cardinal’Also, not all of the plants will necessarily stay dark. Like any living and growing thing, houseplants will adapt to the environment they’re in. So depending on the intensity of light in your home, your watering schedule, room temperature and even season, your houseplant might change shades.
That is the beauty of nature – that it knows what it needs better than we ever will. And that’s something that you can’t control. Just do your best, and enjoy the journey of keeping houseplants.
Without further ado, here are my favorite stunning black houseplants that will add a dash of pizzazz to any living space.
1. Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Raven’
Waxy, shiny, all lady-like and poised. That’s pretty much how I would describe the tropical Zamioculcas zamiifolia plant. And this new variety called Raven – developed by Costa Farms – is perfect for a room that doesn’t get too much sun.
A houseplant that’s not a succulent, so I can water this one however much I want, right? Not so fast. Once you bring a ZZ-plant into your home, you’ll notice the bulbous roots that protrude out of the soil. Those are the ZZ-plant’s water storage tanks. They help control the water inflow that’s distributed to the rest of the plant. But they’ll also rot easily if you overwater the plant.
Other than that, ZZ-plants are relatively easy to grow and quite low-maintenance plants. I always recommend them to beginner plant-owners.
Please keep in mind that the black ZZ-plant is a patented plant. This means that only the patent holder for a certain region can grow it and distribute it in that region. From an end-buyer perspective, this means that this plant may be hard to find, and the price may also spike due to supply and demand. Please do your due diligence and don’t buy from random people on the internet asking exorbitant prices.
If you’re in the United States, Costa Farms offer the ZZ Raven plant for sale online via Amazon. If you don’t want to get it from Amazon, have a look at Brumley and Bloom (photo above, ships from Michigan).
2. Peperomia caperata ‘Burgundy ripple’
Black peperomia caperata by Land of Alice Studio
The dark purple variegated foliage criss-crossed by red stems make this plant a showstopper. This rare peperomia variety likes partial shade and not too much water. You should also avoid frequent repotting, but do make sure it has enough room to grow. Fortunately, it doesn’t grow very fast.
Unlike most leafy houseplants, this is a slow-growing plant, and it will usually remain compact, which makes it perfect for small spaces such as windowsills or desks.
However, if you do set it on a windowsill, make sure it’s not a south-facing one. Keeping the plant in relative shades prevents it from becoming bleached. There are over 1000 cultivars of peperomia, so hunting for your desired color combo might turn into quite an adventure.
You can buy a black Peperomia caperata from Land of Alice Studio (ships from Florida).
For a close second to the black version, have a look at the Peperomia caperata ‘Luna Grey’ from Snake River Garden (ships from Idaho).
I also keep a list of black houseplants on my Etsy wishlist, so have a look there to see if there are any available at the time you’re looking.
3. Aeonium ‘Black rose’
Black aeonium succulent sold by Knights Garden Studio
What I love about this plant – with its dramatic fleshy leaves and almost geometric perfection – is that it seems like it has descended from an Alice in Wonderland scene.
Since it’s a succulent, Aeonium ‘Black rose’ will thrive in full sun and well-drained soil.
While you can give it water once a week during long and sunny summer days, aeonium should be allowed to rest during winter, so it’s best to reduce watering to once a month. However, don’t let it go thirsty for too long, because it might start losing lower leaves around the rosettes if it dries out too much. As always, my recommendation is to check the flowerpot for moisture before you water.
Aeonium can grow up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) tall, though it rarely reaches this height when we grow it indoors. The dark burgundy rosette needs at least a few hours of full sun to star this dark, so if you’re growing it in the shade, aeonium will turn reddish-purple.
I found a lot of small businesses from which you can buy this black succulent in the United States. Have a look at this list and see what’s available at the time you’re looking.
4. Lithops black succulents (aka stone plants)
Lithops via Micro Landscape Design on Etsy
Also called mineral plants, stone plants, or pebble plants, lithops are the newest trend coming out of the world of succulent obsessed plantaholics.
Lithops blend so well with their surrounding environment that it’s hard to tell them apart from the soil they grow in or the rock gardens they adorn.
They come in different shades and colors, that can vary from dark purple, to grey, beige and even pink.
The smooth, two-headed lithops produce bright colored flowers, but only if you’re treating them with the utmost deference. This Southern Africa-native has adapted its leaves over time to resemble surrounding stones, and its patterned surface hides a spongy internal water storage texture.
A fun experiment with lithops is shining a torch through their leaves. Even though the body of the plant does look solid, you’ll notice that the leaves are actually slightly translucent.
The biggest mistake you can make with lithops is overwatering them. You’re beginning to see a theme here, right?
In the United States, you can buy lithops online (often in sets of 5 or 10) from Micro Landscape Design on Etsy. They ship from Virginia, and have a really extensive selection and excellent reviews.
5. Sinocrassula yunnanensis
Sinocrassula yunnanensis, also known as hedgehog succulent, is a small perennial succulent that grows into a clump-like shape. Its diameter can reach up to 10 cm (about 4 inches), and the rosettes usually turn a dark green – almost black – shade. Sinocrassula prefers full sun or partial shade and a well-drained planter.
This succulent is native to China (Yunnan province), north and south of Burma and north-western India. It usually grows at high altitude in rocky formations, so it will be able to tolerate relative cold temperatures if kept outside or next to a drafty window.
This plant is very susceptible to rot, so do not overwater it. Because it stays relatively small, you can add it to an indoor succulent garden.
This plant is quite rare, so what I would recommend is looking on Etsy to see what different sellers have to offer. BonnieArtCo is a California-based small business that has usually them for sale on Etsy.
If you decide to buy seeds and try to grow it yourself, make sure the seller has good reviews. At the time of publication, Walawala Studio in California has good reviews and lots of sales at the time I’m writing this.
In the UK, you can buy sinocrassula seeds from Plants and Succulents.
6. Alocasia ‘Black velvet’
Including this plant as an indoor option seems like cheating. Alocasia plants thrive outdoors, and they make excellent statement pieces in a garden. Their thick-veined and almond-shaped leaves can get very large in a south-facing garden.
Lately, alocasia plants, also known as “elephant ears,” are becoming popular as indoor plants. Unfortunately, this comes with the undesired side-effect of making them hard to find in stores or from online retailers.
Alocasia is a finicky master because it’s both wind-sensitive and cold-sensitive, so it should be kept in a spot with constant temperature and not a lot of draft.
In the United States, you can buy Alocasia Black Velvet online from a few small businesses on Etsy. These are often family-owned businesses and small operations, so keep in mind that they won’t always have it in stock.
7. Echeveria ‘Black prince’
Echeveria Black Prince from 831Succulents (California)
This is type of succulent is the crown jewel in an echeveria collector’s dream. And just like real-life royalty, it should be treated with patience and care.
Echeveria is a slow growing plant that prefers full sun, but it will do well in partial shade too.
If you’re keeping it happy, it will reward you with a bright green center and ruby red flowers coming out of the dark florette-like leaves. Gentle reminder: don’t overwater this prince of the black houseplant world.
In the United States, you can buy Echeveria Black Prince from Queen of Succulents (California) and a few other small businesses on Etsy.
8. Colocasia ‘Black magic’
Colocasia Esculenta from Tropical Sprouts on Etsy
Commonly known as “the elephant ear” plant, this plant collector’s frequent wishlist item is native to Southern Asia, Eastern Australia and South Pacific. You can grow colocasia as an outdoor summer plant, but you can also keep it indoors as a houseplant.
Colocasia grows from bulbs and prefers bright filtered light. This plant will be really unhappy if you overwater it, so make sure you plant it in a pot with proper drainage.
Keep in mind that this is not a plant for absolute beginners. It tends to be finicky and it takes a bit of time for it to adjust to an indoor climate.
If you live in a mild climate (with no extreme heat or sudden overnight frost), you can keep the plant outdoors in the summer and bring it back inside in the cold months.
Colocasia likes a humid environment and it may become dormant in the winter. Don’t worry if that happens. Just cut back on watering and wait for spring, when your colocasia will reward you with new growth once again.
In the United States, I found it sold by quite a few small businesses (have a look at this list).
9. Begonia ‘Black fancy’
Begonia ‘Black fancy’ sold by My Green Obsession (Ohio)I’ve been in love with begonias ever since I happened to stumble upon a begonia exhibition at a botanical garden when I was traveling in The Netherlands. I had no idea there are about 2000 species of begonia to delight us, plant lovers.
But my love of begonias is bittersweet, because some varieties can thrive as outdoor plants while tanking as indoor decor. So it’s more of a trial-and-error relationship, which is fine if you don’t mind having your heart broken by a plant every now and then.
Did you know that there is an American Begonia Society? I’m telling you, once you get bitten by the begonia bug, you’ll turn into a Pokemon chaser (gotta catch them all!)
I bought my begonia from a local farmer’s market, but if you don’t have one in your area you can buy Begonia ‘Black fancy’ from My Green Obsession (ships from Ohio) and has excellent reviews.
I also keep a list of black houseplants on my Etsy wishlist, so have a look there to see if there are any available at the time you’re looking. I had added a begonia to my shopping cart from a small shop in Portland, Oregon called Chloe’s Plants. But by the time I was ready to buy, it was already sold out. I have no-buyer’s regret, if that’s even a thing.
10. Black airplants
I admit, I hadn’t even considered adding airplants to this post until a reader messaged me to ask if I knew of any black airplants they could use as decor for their goth-themed wedding. I didn’t, so I ended up combing online plant stores and growers for hours. It turns out there are black airplants, and they look just as weird and futuristic as you would imagine them.
Tillandsia harrisii can sometimes turn out a dark shade of gray. Just have a look at the one below, sold by What The Gardens (ships from Los Angeles).
Tillandsia harrisii sold by What The Gardens
Tillandsia aeranthos ‘the Black’ (the one below sold by Houseplant Collection) is a wispy airplant that gets even blacker.
If you’re new to airplants, you should keep in mind that they’re epiphytes, which means their roots are not used for water absorption, but to attach themselves onto other plants or trees.
Airplants absorb water and nutrients from the air through the surface of their leaves. You can also submerge them in water for a few minutes every week during the warm seasons and then let them dry upside down or on an absorbent towel. Too little water can cause the leaves to dry out and curl.
When it comes to sunlight, make sure you keep your aiplants out of direct bright light. They prefer filtered sunlight and don’t require any fertilizing.
11. Waffle plant (Hemigraphis alternata)
Am I the only one who finds it absolutely impossible to talk about waffle plants without craving waffles? No, didn’t think so!
Waffle plants (Hemigraphis alternata) have wrinkled textured foliage that comes in different shades of dark green punctuated by purple hues. These plants love humidity (in the air, but not too much sogginess in the soil); and they’ll let you know if they need extra water by wilting like a damsel in distress (just get your fainting couch ready).
If you live in a warmer humid climate, you can also grow waffle plants outdoors in the garden. If you decide to grow it in pots outdoors, you have to make sure they don’t stay dry for too long, as they get quite crispy when they dry out.
Both indoors and outdoors, you should place the waffle plant in bright indirect light. You’ll know it’s not getting enough light if it loses some of the intensity of its dark leaves.
Waffle plant sold by Garden Gals Plants (ships from Massachusetts).
Waffle plant sold by Garden Gals Plants on Etsy.
12. Marcgravia Azreal
If you are a terrarium enthusiast, you may already be familiar with these shingling plants (aka vines that like climbing upwards towards the light, rather than hanging). Otherwise, they are not very popular among plant parents – maybe because of their slow growing nature and rather delicate leaves.
Marcgravia Azreal prefers filtered light (as it would have in the wild, vining on the trunk of trees in its natural habitat in South America) and high humidity. In fact, they grow very well in a growing medium topped with sphagnum moss.
Not all Marcgravia plants have dark leaves, so make sure you choose one that does, such as the one below, sold by My Green Obsession.
If you’re buying this plant online in the winter months, make sure you request a heat pack for shipping, as the plant cannot withstand low temperatures. Other than this, the plant is low maintenance and it stays small with the rounded leaves becoming more teardrop-shapes as the Marcgravia matures.
13. Alocasia cuprea ‘Mythic Red Secret’
Another alocasia on this list of black houseplants can’t hurt, right? This time, allow me to introduce you to the Alocasia ‘Mythic Red Secret’. Its copper-green leaves turn a darker maroon as they mature. It reminds me of caramel-coated apples at Halloween.
The Alocasia ‘Mythic Red Secret’ in this photo is sold by Winter Greenhouse
Alocasia ‘Mythic’ is a series developed by Proven Winners. There are about 25 houseplants in this series, but not all of them are black or dark-foliage plants. Start with ‘Red Secret’, ‘Nigra’ and ‘Azlanii’ if you’re looking for a darker shade of green.
The Alocasia ‘Mythic Red Secret’ in the photo above is sold by Winter Greenhouse, a Wisconsin operation with excellent reviews.
Alocasia can handle some morning or late-afternoon light, as long as the sunlight doesn’t hit the plant directly. You can move it to a spot that gets more direct sunlight in the colder, darker months (October to March). But don’t forget to shield it from sunburn during the summer.
Alocasia plants will sometimes rebel if you’re moving them too often, so keep that in mind when you decide to experiment with their location. (A couple of times a year is fine, but don’t start playing musical plant chairs with alocasias.)
Another thing to keep in mind is that alocasias really like their humidity. So placing them next to heaters, fireplaces, dehumidifiers or air conditioning units is a big no-no.
14. Philodendron ‘Black Cardinal’
You may have already cracked the secrets of growing a philodendron as a houseplant. After all, Philodendron scadens, ‘Birkin’ and ‘Brasil’ have all had their fifteen minutes of fame on Instagram. So adding a black plant to your list is the logical next step, right? (That’s my internal monologue to myself, at least.)
