While the sunlight needs of black flowers vary by species, most black flowers look their best when they are in at least some partial sun. A black flower that grows in the shadow of shade just appears to be another shadow. Plant your black flowers in front of a backdrop of neon green foliage, bright orange blossoms, or bright white blooms, and you’ll have mastered the latest color trend in the garden. Here are 10 black flowers to add drama for your garden. Like all Oriental poppies, ‘Midnight’ poppy plants produce a deep taproot, which means it resents being transplanted. Site them in a sunny area with loose, sandy soil for the best performance. When the blooming is over, you can leave the conspicuous seedpods standing, and then cut them back to the basal rosette of the foliage. The ‘Nigra’ hollyhock is an heirloom dating back to the 17th century, a testament to its vigor. The 7-foot stalks are so floriferous that staking may be necessary to keep them upright. ‘Old Black Magic’ is classified as a self-style of bearded iris, which means the standards and falls are the same color; in this case, a delicious raven black that shimmers in the sun. A golden orange beard punctuates each bloom in the center. Spring bulbs such as tulips look best when planted en masse. Buy a bag of at least 12 and mix them with a complimentary color like white or lavender. Make sure to take note of the blooming time of any complimentary tulips you plant by looking for the words “late tulip” in the product description.
