41 Plants Perfect for a Dramatic Goth Garden
Goth lovers unite! The garden is the perfect place to throw a spooky get-together for you and your goth friends. Plant any of these 41 species to add eerie colors and haunting shapes to your landscape. With trees, shrubs, vegetables, and perennials on this list, there’s sure to be a perfect plant for you. Discover these dramatic, gothic species alongside seasoned grower Jerad Bryant.
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What is a goth garden? In the same way that the goth movement sees beauty in dark things, a goth garden embraces beauty in dark, rich colors and unique plant patterns. Having one of these eccentric species in a landscape changes it, making it slightly different from the other ornamental gardens nearby.
A purple-leaved tree or burgundy-blooming perennial causes onlookers to stop and enjoy the dramatic style. Pair two or three of these species, and you’ll be on your way towards creating the goth garden of your dreams.
Some of these plants are annuals in cold climates, or they function as houseplants to survive the winter. There are also trees, shrubs, crops, wildflowers, and succulents that have dark colors, interesting shapes, or unique styles of growth. These are options for all North American gardeners, no matter if you live in freezing North Dakota or tropical Florida.
Goth Garden Bundle
Our Goth Garden Bundle offers a curated selection of brooding blooms and moody colors contrasted with ghostly white:
- Oriental Nights Sweet Alyssum
- Black Velvet Nasturtium
- Black Magic Bachelor’s Button
- Black Swan Poppy
- Black Knight Scabiosa
- Beaujolais Sweet Peas
- White Swan Echinacea
- The Bride Bachelor’s Button
- Blue Grama Grass
- White Lace Orlaya
Trees and Shrubs
When creating a dramatic goth garden, it’s best to plan the design around towering trees and shrubby plants. They act as focal points, and all the perennials and annuals below draw your eyes towards them. Select one, two, or three of these larger specimens for spooky backdrops in your eerie garden.
‘Ebony Embers’ Crepe Myrtle
botanical name Lagerstroemia ‘Ebony Embers’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 10-15’ | |
hardiness zones 6-9 |
Crepe myrtles are iconic ornamental trees! The Ebony series is a special collection of cultivars with dark purple leaves and bright flower clusters. ‘Ebony Embers’ sprouts red-hot blooms that contrast beautifully with the dark foliage.
The Ebony series also goes by Black Diamond™. Companies often market old varieties under new trademark names to earn extra income from their sales. ‘Ebony Embers’ is the same cultivar as Black Diamond™ ‘Red Hot,’ so if you’d like to save money, simply purchase crepe myrtles in the Ebony series.
‘Crimson King’ Maple
botanical name Acer platanoides ‘Crimson King’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 30-40’ | |
hardiness zones 3-7 |
Like Ebony crepe myrtles, ‘Crimson King’ maples have dark maroon leaves that are glossy under direct sunlight. They create a moody atmosphere, especially on large specimens. This maple reaches over 30 feet tall but stays under 40 feet, making it perfect for front lawns or backyard plantings.
Use this shade tree as a focal point with other gothic plants below. It’s a deciduous tree that loses its leaves in autumn—this creates ideal conditions below the canopy for summer shade plants and spring ephemerals. Hellebores, violas, and other perennials sprout before the leaves do and soak up direct sunlight when they need it most.
‘Thundercloud’ Cherry Plum
botanical name Prunus cerasifera ‘Thundercloud’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 15-20’ | |
hardiness zones 5-8 |
Cherry plum is an iconic North American tree with dozens of cultivars. ‘Thundercloud’ grows purple-brown leaves similar to ‘Crimson King’ maple’s. The tree blooms pale pink flowers that contrast elegantly with the emerging leaves.
This variety stays under 20 feet tall but can spread wide. Plant it with fertile, humus-rich soil and apply compost to the site annually. Cherry plums live short lives, between 60 to 80 years, so if you plant one today it’s likely you’ll outlive the tree! Keep your specimens living as long as possible with compost amendments and annual late winter pruning of dead or diseased wood.
‘Purple Pony’ Cherry Plum
botanical name Prunus cerasifera ‘Purple Pony’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 10-12’ | |
hardiness zones 5-8 |
‘Purple Pony’ is another cherry plum cultivar with purple leaves, except this type stays petite! It’s a dwarf variety that rarely grows over 12 feet tall. White-pink flowers emerge as leaf buds do and the three hues create a gorgeous color palate for early spring.
Since it’s dwarf, this tree can fit into spaces other cherry plum cultivars struggle to. Plant it with others in a row for a tall screen, or put one in a border or tree well for a focal point. Like most cherry plum cultivars, ‘Purple Pony’ is fruitless and doesn’t make a mess of your yard in late summer as the species type would.
‘Bloodgood’ Japanese Maple
botanical name Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 15-20’ | |
hardiness zones 5-8 |
Japanese maples are the perfect goth trees. They have maple-like leaves and arching, twisty branches that form elegant canopies. ‘Bloodgood’ has dark maroon foliage that turns blood-red in fall. You’ll admire its branching patterns in winter and enjoy bright red flowers and samaras in spring. Samaras are little seed pods with wings that maple species form after successful pollination.
Japanese maples, unlike most other shade trees, tolerate partial shade well. They can grow beneath other larger trees like Douglas firs, silver maples, or spruces. Give ‘Bloodgood’ regular water and fertile, free-draining soil for the best growth possible.
‘Ever Red’ Japanese Maple
botanical name Acer palmatum var. dissectum atropurpureum ‘Ever Red’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 8-16’ | |
hardiness zones 5-9 |
‘Ever Red’ is a Japanese maple similar to ‘Bloodgood’ with dark red leaves that turn bright crimson in fall. This type differs in its size, structure, and leaf shape. It has dissected, lacy leaves that sprout in dense clusters throughout the tree. It’s a dwarf type that some people call “Cousin It” because of the way it looks! It resembles the hairy creature from the show The Addams Family.
‘Ever Red’ is more a shrub than a tree since it takes years to reach full size. It’s perfect for sites with tight widths but open heights, as it grows taller each spring and summer. It’ll squeeze into whatever shape it needs to fit into your space.
‘Forest Pansy’ Redbud
botanical name Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 20-30’ | |
hardiness zones 5-9 |
Redbuds grow wild throughout North America, with two major species originating here. They typically have green leaves, though the special cultivar ‘Forest Pansy’ sports deep red-purple ones. They emerge after magenta-pink blossoms erupt into bloom on bare branches. Redbuds are highly ornamental, making them exceptional specimens for gardens and landscapes.
Redbuds also provide natural resources for local animals! You’ll boost your garden’s biodiversity when you plant one. It’ll form nectar-rich flowers for pollinators, branches for nests, and seed pods for hungry birds and squirrels.
‘Summer Chocolate’ Mimosa Tree
botanical name Albizia julibrissin ‘Summer Chocolate’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 20-40’ | |
hardiness zones 6-9 |
Mimosa trees sprout compound leaves with mini leaflets. They add a tropical flair to temperate gardens. ‘Summer Chocolate’ is a mimosa tree with dark purple leaves and bright white-pink silky blooms. It’s invasive in Southwestern states, however it behaves well in other areas from zones 6 through 9.
Mimosa trees prefer well-draining soil and full sun, although they tolerate a wide range of conditions. They live short lives around 30 years long, and are quick growing with weak wood. Plant them where wood breakage won’t harm your house, and let them spread their arching branches far and wide.
‘Black Tartarian’ Cherry
botanical name Prunus avium ‘Black Tartarian’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 12-30’ | |
hardiness zones 5-8 |
Choose this cherry tree for your goth garden and you’ll have dark purple-black cherries! They’ll decorate ‘Black Tartarian’ trees and hide amongst their lush, green leaves. Cherry trees lose their leaves in autumn and create a spooky outline with their naked branches. On cloudy, misty days these limbs will look like arms reaching out!
‘Black Tartarian’ benefits from a different cherry cultivar nearby for optimal pollination. Plant ‘Bing’ or ‘Rainer’ nearby and they’ll swap pollen with each other.
‘Black Mission’ Fig
botanical name Ficus carica ‘Mission’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 10-30’ | |
hardiness zones 7-10 |
You may not think of a fig tree as goth garden plants, but this variety is! ‘Mission’ sports beautiful black figs on long branches. They decorate the tree in late summer through autumn, attracting birds that’ll try eating the figs before you do! Drape a micromesh net over your tree to keep the birds from spoiling your harvest.
‘Mission’ is self-pollinating, meaning it doesn’t rely on chemical hormones or wasps for figs to form. It is a large tree, though, and can reach up to 30 feet tall. Plant it where it has space to grow tall and wide. You may also use pruning to keep figs smaller, as they respond well to a hard prune every few years.
‘Black Lace®’ Elderberry
botanical name Sambucus nigra ‘Eva’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 6-8’ | |
hardiness zones 4-7 |
This is one of my all-time favorite plants, and it’s one of the best on this list for spooky landscapes! ‘Eva,’ or ‘Black Lace®’ elderberry, is a unique cultivar of European elderberry. It sports black, finely dissected leaves like laceleaf Japanese maples. In spring, white-pink flowers emerge in giant clusters—they have a musty but sweet fragrance that attracts dozens of pollinating insects.
Elderberry can grow unruly quickly, as it’s a fast grower. Plant it where it can lean over or grow tall if it’d like. ‘Eva’ stays shorter than the species type, so you rarely have to prune this specimen. Give it regular water, fertile soil, and at least six hours of direct sunlight daily.
‘Diabolo®’ Ninebark
botanical name Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Monlo’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 8-10’ | |
hardiness zones 3-7 |
‘Monlo,’ or ‘Diabolo®’ ninebark graces landscapes with its presence. It’s a cultivar of the European ninebark with rich, black leaves and bright white flowers. With full sun and regular water, the leaves stay dark all summer long. Ninebark is deciduous, so it’ll lose its leaves in autumn and create an eerie shape with its branches for wintertime.
Avoid losing the dark color on the leaves by planting this shrub where it has six to eight hours of direct sunlight and moderate temperatures. It’ll turn green if heatwaves or partial shade stress it. Keep ‘Monlo’ cool during the summer, yet also ensure it receives full sun. Adding compost or organic mulch on top of its root zone keeps cool moisture below the soil.
‘Wine & Roses®’ Weigela
botanical name Weigela florida ‘Alexandra’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 4-5’ | |
hardiness zones 4-8 |
Weigela shrubs erupt spectacularly with pink, tubular blooms and green leaves. This color combo isn’t gothic, however ‘Alexandra,’ or Wine & Roses® weigela is! It has dark black leaves instead of green ones, and it blooms magenta flowers. This cultivar lures onlookers in with its unique shape and look.
‘Alexandra’ needs eight hours of direct sunlight to look its best, as it’ll start growing green leaves in partial shade. An easy-maintenance and low-growing shrub, this weigela stands out in borders, raised beds, and as hedges or windbreaks.
Thornless Blackberry
botanical name Rubus x ‘Prime Ark Freedom’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 3-6’ | |
hardiness zones 4-8 |
Blackberry plants have goth charm no matter where they grow in your garden or larger landscape! The black, mushy berries shine under the moonlight, casting a dreamy spell on your garden. Thornless blackberries are supreme because you can harvest them without poking! No pricks and thorns make for easy cultivation.
One of the best thornless varieties is ‘Prime Ark Freedom.’ This cultivar fruits on new and old wood, meaning you’ll get two sets of berries each summer. Since it flowers and fruits on new and old canes, you’ll get blackberries your first year of growing this variety.
Herbaceous Plants
Herbaceous plants are annuals and perennials that grow fleshy stems. They lack the hardwood that trees and shrubs have, yet they still grow exceptionally well in cold or hot zones. Use these goth plants to decorate tree wells, perennial borders, and pollinator gardens. Some of these selections make stunning houseplants in cold winter zones.
‘Black Heart’ Sweet Potato Vine
botanical name Ipomoea batatas ‘Black Heart’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 6-12” | |
hardiness zones 11-12 |
Sweet potato vines are close relatives of the yummy tubers you buy at the grocery store. ‘Black Heart’ is a variety that displays black, heart-shaped leaves on long vines. It’s perfect for hanging baskets or as a ground cover on bare soil. Use it with other yellow or green leaf cultivars for a pop of color.
‘Black Heart’ is frost tender. It survives perennially in zones 11 and 12, but its tubers grow soft and mushy in freezing weather. Grow it as an annual, or dig up the tubers and overwinter them before replanting in spring.
‘The Watchman’ Hollyhock
botanical name Alcea rosea ‘The Watchman’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 5-7’ | |
hardiness zones 2-8 |
Hollyhocks are towering biennials with disc-shaped flowers. ‘The Watchman’ is one of the darkest flowering cultivars, with blooms that look pure black from a distance! They’re darker than a winter’s night. Look closely, and you’ll see they have purple-red hues in the petals. Use this flower in bouquets to bring some goth vibes indoors!
‘The Watchman’ may be available at nurseries near you, but it starts reliably from seeds. Sow them two months before your first frost date or two weeks after your last one in spring.
‘Black Raven™’ ZZ
botanical name Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Dowon’ | |
sun requirements Partial to full shade | |
height 1-3’ | |
hardiness zones 9-11 |
‘Black Raven™’ ZZ is a stately specimen! It sprouts lime green leaves that turn black with age. Its stems are black, too, making a striking appearance when they grow in white containers. Grow this ZZ plant outdoors in zones 9 to 11 or indoors everywhere as a houseplant. It likes bright indirect light indoors and shady conditions outdoors.
If you’re having trouble finding this ZZ, try searching for ‘Dowon.’ This plant has two names: a registered trademarked name and a varietal name. Both are names for the same plant.
‘Black Rose’ Aeonium
botanical name Aeonium arboreum ‘Zwartkop’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 3-4’ | |
hardiness zones 9-11 |
Succulent lovers will enjoy this species and its glossy black leaves. ‘Black Rose,’ or ‘Zwartkop,’ is a woody branching succulent that reaches up to four feet tall. Multiple stems sprout from its base, and they each have a rosette of fleshy lance-shaped leaves on their ends. Grow it in a pot to bring indoors for the winter, or keep it outdoors in warm climates.
Aenoiums are hardy succulents, making them perfect for gothic gardens. Put a few in terra cotta pots and scatter them about your yard, or use them in a dry rock garden. They’ll sprout yellow flower spikes in spring that bees and pollinating flies enjoy visiting.
‘Black Velvet’ Nasturtium
botanical name Tropaeolum minus ‘Black Velvet’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 10-12” | |
hardiness zones 2-11 |
Nasturtiums add little pops of color to gardens, and they grow well amongst ornamental plants, vegetables, and below trees. They’re sun-loving annuals in zones 9 and below, and perennial in zones 10 and above. ‘Black Velvet’ is a unique cultivar with dark red flowers that look black in direct sunlight.
Although an annual in cold climates, they often reseed themselves with their pebbly, edible seeds. Not only are the seeds edible, but so too are the leaves, flowers, and stems! Use fresh flowers in salads to add some gothic charm to the dinner table. Or, saute the seeds and leaves as a base for seasonings, marinades, and stews.
‘Black Diamond’ Hellebore
botanical name Helleborus x ‘Black Diamond’ | |
sun requirements Partial to full shade | |
height 12-15” | |
hardiness zones 4-9 |
Hellebores are fleshy herbaceous perennials with clusters of nodding flowers. They’re tough, drought-tolerant, and shade-loving. Grow them beneath your gothic trees or large shrubs to add winter charm to your landscape. They bloom when most other species are still dormant in late winter through early spring.
‘Black Diamond’ is a newer hybrid of the Winter Jewels® series from world-renowned hellebore breeders Ernie and Marietta O’Byrne. It’s a gorgeous cultivar—the flowers have a black-gray sheen to them, and they have a single row of five petals. Simple but elegant, this is a perfect specimen for the perennial collector who loves dark, spooky flowers.
‘Purple Double Ellen™’ Hellebore
botanical name Helleborus orientalis ‘Double Ellen™ Purple’ | |
sun requirements Partial to full shade | |
height 12-15” | |
hardiness zones 5-9 |
‘Double Ellen™ Purple’ is another special hellebore cultivar. It’s different from ‘Black Diamond’ but still an eccentric choice. It grows flowers with two rows of dark maroon petals and light white centers. They add a delicate charm when they sprout in early spring and nod downwards. Use them as cut flowers, or bend down to look up into the gorgeous blooms.
Hellebores like shady conditions, fertile and well-draining soil, and some water during the growing season. Once they establish themselves, they’re drought- and frost-tolerant. They might survive harsh winters in gardens below zone 5 with mulch or snow cover.
Stinking Hellebore
botanical name Helleborus foetidus | |
sun requirements Partial to full shade | |
height 1-2’ | |
hardiness zones 5-9 |
Stinking hellebore is a species type perfect for your dramatic goth garden. Its finely divided leaves turn black-purple in the winter as temperatures lower and frost arrives. In late winter, yellow cup flowers emerge in clusters from the stem tips. The yellow contrasts well with the black or green leaves, creating a spooky plant that resembles crawling spiders!
Use it in borders, raised beds, or deep containers. Hellebores sprout thick, fleshy roots that dig deep into the ground. This makes them hardy, but it also means they’ll need a large container to thrive. Give them at least a foot of depth and more if you can.
Black Bat Flower
botanical name Tacca chantrieri | |
sun requirements Partial shade | |
height 2-3’ | |
hardiness zones 9-11 |
There’s no other flower like the black bat flower! It’s a quirky perennial that’s hardy from zones 9 to 11 but grows well as a houseplant elsewhere. Its long, dark silky tassels have the appearance of whiskers, and little blossoms erupt near them with purple and white hues.
This plant is a must-have in warm climates. Your neighbors will want some divisions after seeing it in your yard! Propagate more from rhizome cuttings, or use the seeds that form late in the growing season to grow more seedlings.
‘Black Knight’ Scabiosa
botanical name Sixalix atropurpurea | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 18-24” | |
hardiness zones 10-11 |
Like nasturtiums, scabiosa flowers are perennial in warm climates although most growers treat them as annuals. This cultivar ‘Black Knight’ excels during the summer season, soaking up the sunshine and sprouting deep maroon flowers with dozens of petals. You’ll see flowers from summer through fall, as this species is frost-tender.
You can overwinter scabiosa if you’d like. Plant ‘Black Knight’ seeds in containers in early spring so you can bring them inside easily once freezing winter weather arrives.
Chinese Jade
botanical name Sinocrassula yunnanensis | |
sun requirements Bright indirect light | |
height 3-5” | |
hardiness zones 9-10 |
This low-growing succulent spreader sprouts long, succulent tendrils. The plants start green at the base and grow darker near the tips to a greenish-blackish color, adding the perfect goth flair to your garden. Chinese jade spreads easily from the rosettes, and you can divide them as they grow bushy for more plants.
Chinese jade is frost-sensitive, making it an ideal houseplant in cold climates. In warm ones, use it in rock gardens, borders, or xeriscapes amongst other succulent spreaders.
Amazonian Elephant’s Ear
botanical name Alocasia x amazonica | |
sun requirements Partial shade | |
height 1-5’ | |
hardiness zones 10-12 |
Tropical gardeners can celebrate! This is the ideal gothic plant for your landscape. It sprouts from thick rhizomes that grow roots below the soil. Large elephant ear-like leaves sprout from the rhizomes that have dark, forest green colors and white veins. It makes for a stunning houseplant in cold climates, growing well in small containers.
Give the Amazonian elephant’s ear partial shade outdoors and bright indirect light indoors. It appreciates a similar culture to its parent species—they thrive below tropical tree canopies on the forest floor with moist, fertile soil.
‘Back To Black’ Viola
botanical name Viola cornuta ‘Back to Black’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 8” | |
hardiness zones 6-9 |
Violas are cold-hardy perennials that thrive in autumn, winter, and early spring. They’re close relatives of pansies, another fall-blooming perennial. ‘Back to Black’ has lush, burgundy flowers with dark green leaves. The deep purple flowers are edible and taste great in salads and smoothies!
Grow this viola cultivar in a container during the coolest months in your region. If you live below zone 6, treat them as cool weather annuals in fall or spring. They’re also annuals above zone 9, where they die back during the summer heat.
‘Black Magic’ Bachelor’s Button
botanical name Centaurea cyanus ‘Black Magic’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 20-24” | |
hardiness zones 2-11 |
‘Black Magic’ bachelor’s button is another edible dark flowering plant with long stems and deep maroon blooms ideal for a goth garden. It’s an annual that readily reseeds itself, so it’ll pop up as seedlings in spring when the weather warms. Let them naturalize, and birds and squirrels will flock to your yard to eat the seed pods.
‘Black Magic’ excels as a filler amongst perennials. Plant it with dark native wildflowers to attract pollinators, birds, and small creatures to your backyard while still fitting in with the gothic style.
Vegetables and Herbs
The ornamental garden isn’t the only place for goth-inspired plants! Vegetable gardens are perfect displays for edible but eerie-looking plants. There are crops with dark colors, ones with unique shapes, and others with interesting structures. Add some of these spooky edible plants to your yard to keep the garden’s theme consistent!
‘Black Nebula’ Carrot
botanical name Daucus carota subsp. sativus ‘Black Nebula’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 3”-3’ | |
hardiness zones 2-11 |
Carrots are delicious! They’re crunchy, nutritious, and full of pungent flavor. ‘Black Nebula’ will make your dishes pop with deep purple-black roots. They stand out in recipes, and they’ll look appealing in raised beds or containers.
Sow ‘Black Nebula’ seeds directly in the soil outdoors. Start them in early fall for a winter or early spring harvest, and sow them in early spring for an early summer harvest. Carrots like regular water, fertile and loose soil, and six to eight hours of daily direct sunlight.
‘Black Kat’ Pumpkin
botanical name Cucurbita pepo ‘Black Kat’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 6-8’ | |
hardiness zones 2-11 |
Pumpkins add decor naturally as they sprout large, ribbed fruits with orange hues. ‘Black Kat’ differs from typical varieties as it grows fruits that mature from light green to dark forest green. They’re perfect to match with other dark flowering or fruiting cultivars on this list. Plant a pumpkin vine below taller trees and shrubs, and it’ll clamber about the ground, producing full-size fruits.
‘Black Kat’ forms personal pumpkins that span no longer than four and a half inches wide. They have yellow-orange flesh that tastes great in pies, soups, or sauces. Save the seeds, and you can roast and salt them for a tasty autumn treat.
‘Black Beauty’ Eggplant
botanical name Solanum melongena ‘Black Beauty’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 24-30” | |
hardiness zones 9-12 |
Eggplant growers rejoice! There’s a dark purple cultivar that’s famous for its lovely hues and delicious taste and texture. ‘Black Beauty’ is an eggplant with an egg shape that works well for home gardeners. It looks attractive in gothic gardens, as its dark fruit contrasts elegantly with its furry and spiny gray-green leaves.
‘Black Beauty,’ like all eggplants, needs warm temperatures and direct sunlight to thrive. It’s a summer perennial that most gardeners treat like an annual. Start seeds in early spring indoors, then transplant them after the danger of frost passes.
‘Round Black Spanish’ Radish
botanical name Raphanus sativus ‘Round Black Spanish’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 2-3’ | |
hardiness zones 2-11 |
It’s difficult to see a radish while it’s growing, but this cultivar adds a gothic charm to recipes once you harvest it. ‘Round Black Spanish’ sprouts radishes with dark green hues similar to ‘Black Kat’ pumpkins. It has a pungent flavor that’s strong in fresh radishes, but it diminishes with cooking.
Tuck ‘Round Black Spanish’ seeds between your other crops for a steady supply of edible radishes. They perform well during cool seasons without hard frosts—grow them for a fall or early spring harvest.
‘Dakota Black’ Corn
botanical name Zea mays ‘Dakota Black’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 6-7’ | |
hardiness zones 2-11 |
This crop adds fall charm to your garden with long corn ears that have lush, purple-black hues. ‘Dakota Black’ is a must-have heirloom corn that makes delicious popcorn. Try it in your home garden and enjoy homegrown corn year-round. Once fully dry, the kernels last for months in long-term storage.
Corn is a summer annual crop that excels during the hottest months. Give it regular water, full sun, and fertile, free-draining soil. Corn is also a heavy feeder—apply a balanced organic fertilizer once or twice in spring before the ears start forming.
‘Black Krim’ Tomato
botanical name Solanum lycopersicum ‘Black Krim’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 6’ | |
hardiness zones 10-11 |
No veggie garden is complete without tomatoes! Nowadays there are dark fruiting cultivars that match the goth aesthetic, making it easier for you to stylize your growing area how you’d like. ‘Black Krim’ is one such slicing variety with dark purple patterns on crimson skins. The large fruits are juicy, sweet, and delicious!
Tomatoes are perennial in zones 10 to 11, but most gardeners grow them as summer annuals. Sow seeds two months before your final frost date, and transplant seedlings outdoors once warm spring temperatures arrive without frost.
‘Indigo Rose’ Cherry Tomato
botanical name Solanum lycopersicum ‘Indigo Rose’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 5-6’ | |
hardiness zones 10-11 |
Slicing-type tomatoes are great, but there’s nothing like snacking on cherry tomatoes! If you want a dark fruiting cherry cultivar, try ‘Indigo Rose.’ Its green-purple fruits develop in clusters of six to eight. Let them clamber up a trellis for ornamental value, or tie them up bamboo stakes for easy tending.
‘Indigo Rose’ is a vining tomato that needs some support to grow. If they spread on the soil, their tomatoes are more susceptible to pests and diseases. Keep the plants off the ground with a trellis, and they’ll reward you with dozens of delicious cherry-size fruits.
‘Purple Petra’ Basil
botanical name Ocimum basilicum | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 2’ | |
hardiness zones 10 |
Every veggie garden needs some herbs! Their fragrance helps repel pests, and their flowers attract pollinating insects to the site. Basil is the ideal herb, as it sprouts pungent, flavorful leaves that are necessary additions to pizza, pasta, and pesto. ‘Purple Petra’ is like the strong species basil, except it’s milder, sweeter, and purple!
‘Purple Petra’ seeds need warm temperatures to sprout—sow them indoors and transplant seedlings outdoors after the last frost. Basil is a perennial in zone 10 and an annual elsewhere. Grow it as a houseplant with grow lights for fresh basil leaves year-round! It’ll add gothic style to your house or outdoor garden during the summertime.
‘Dark Opal’ Basil
botanical name Ocimum basilicum ‘Dark Opal’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 2’ | |
hardiness zones 10 |
If you’d like the dark color of ‘Purple Petra’ but still want the strong flavor of basil, try ‘Dark Opal!’ It has darker purple leaves than the last cultivar, and its flavor resembles the strength of the species type. Add a few around your tomatoes as a natural pest-repellant strategy, or grow them in containers on your porch for ornamental and edible beauty.
‘Dark Opal’ sprouts deep purple-black flower spikes with delicate pink blossoms. They’re edible like the leaves and work well as garnishes for salads, charcuterie boards, or drinks.
‘Crimson King’ Basil
botanical name Ocimum basilicum ‘Crimson King’ | |
sun requirements Full sun to partial shade | |
height 18” | |
hardiness zones 10 |
‘Crimson King’ is another basil cultivar with dark leaves and special attributes. It’s shorter than the previous two types, growing to about 18 inches tall with flower spikes. The leaves are normal size and a luxurious purple hue. They taste pungent like the species and are flavorful additions to dishes.
‘Crimson King’ needs full sun and regular water to maintain the rich color of its leaves. If your plants sprout green leaves or stems, transition them to a brighter location and watch for color change.
Purple Tomatillo
botanical name Physalis philadelphica ‘Purple’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 20” | |
hardiness zones 8-10 |
Tomatillos are close relatives of tomatoes, though they taste and feel different. They ripen with a papery coating similar to Chinese lantern plants. Peel the papery coating to reveal green or purple fruits. They make excellent green salsa, stew, and marinade.
‘Purple’ is a lovely tomatillo variety with yellow flowers and green fruits that ripen purple. It’s more tolerant of cool temperatures than tomatoes but will die after hard frosts. Start seeds indoors and grow the seedlings outdoors as summer annuals. They sometimes survive as perennials in zones 8 to 10, but most growers treat them as annuals for peak fruit production.
‘Lacinato’ Dinosaur Kale
botanical name Brassica oleracea ‘Lacinato / Dinosaur’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 2-4’ | |
hardiness zones 2-11 |
Add dinosaur kale to your garden to see the intricate textures of this cultivar’s leaves. They resemble dinosaur skin, with deep green colors and a pebbly, veiny texture. This kale is exceptionally cold hardy and may overwinter in mild climates, making it perfect for the cool season garden.
Dinosaur kale, or ‘Lacinato’ kale, is ready for harvest as a young seedling or a mature adult. Pick young leaves off the plant, or harvest the entire head when it has dozens of full-size leaves. With a dozen kale plants, you’ll never need to buy fresh greens again!
‘Black Pearl’ Pepper
botanical name Capsicum annuum ‘Black Pearl’ | |
sun requirements Full sun | |
height 14-18” | |
hardiness zones 9-11 |
Rounding up our list is one of my all-time favorite gothic plants. ‘Black Pearl’ pepper plants delight gardeners with purple leaves, fruits resembling dark pearls, and a short stature that makes them perfect for containers or planters. The fruits are edible too, although they’re tiny and extremely spicy compared to most other peppers!
Use ‘Black Pearl’ as decor instead of food, unless you’re a brave soul with a strong tolerance for spiciness. Cut off stems with leaves and fruits attached to add spooky, gothic vibes to bouquets and floral arrangements.