Eerie Plants for Ghoulish Gardens
Welcome back to our month long celebration of all things dark and spooky. Well, all plant things dark and spooky. Today we’re taking a look at some very cool plants with eerie names or odd growth habits perfect for any ghoulish garden!
You may notice that a few of these plants are missing photos — if you own one of these cool, creepy plants and would like to see your plant featured on the HPH blog, head over to our Facebook group and message one of the admins! We love being able to feature our members’ awesome plants here on the HPH blog!
Hoya carnosa “Grey Ghost”
If you have Ghost, you have everything.
This Hoya carnosa variety is sure to bring a little something extra to your collection, not just due to its stunning silver leaves, but also the name. How can you turn down a plant that is called a Grey GHOST? While these are known to be a bit slower when it comes to growth, it is worth it when you see the pink Hoya blooms against the silvery grey foliage. Treat the as you would any other variety of Hoya carnosa with bright indirect light, no temperatures below 50°F/10°C, and water when the soil dries out fully.
Dracula Orchid
If you're looking for a truly striking addition to your orchid collection, try a Dracula. Their name literally means “little dragon,” and of course calls to mind Bram Stoker’s famous vampire, Count Dracula. These epiphytes are native to Central America and prefer cooler temperatures, but very high humidity — think 70% humidity if not more, because they really don’t like to dry out. Unsurprisingly given their name, they would prefer not to live in bright light. Most varieties produce blooms that hang down, making them an excellent hanging plant, although a few produce upright bloom stalks.
Ogre Ear Jade
Don’t think Shrek — think the man-eating monster featured in many myths and folk stories. Well, actually, maybe do think Shrek because these plants are pretty adorable! They’re also known as Hobbit Jade, Gollum Jade, or sometimes E.T. Fingers. If you have a spot by a south or west-facing window that gets a lot of bright indirect light, you have a spot for this plant. They’re hardy plants that will tolerate a wide variety of household conditions — just make sure not to over water them.
Euphorbia lactea variegata
Often known by the nickname “dragon bones” or “dragon bones tree,” Euphorbia lactea is already a cool plant to add to your collection. The variegated version is particularly striking and a little spooky, as it reminds us of sun-bleached bone. In addition to being very cool, E. lactea is a laid-back plant once it’s established. Find a nice bright window for them, give them porous, well-draining potting mix, and water them deeply when the top few inches have dried out. Don’t let them sit in water or soggy substrate or you’ll risk root rot. It’s also beneficial to remember that while Euphorbia may remind you of cacti, they aren’t cacti and will want slightly more water than your typical desert cactus.
VFT and other carnivores
Carnivorous plants are fascinating and cool — and let’s face it, just a little bit creepy, too. The Venus flytrap is one of the most well-known and instantly recognizable carnivores, but there are many others with their own cunning methods for trapping their prey. Pitcher plants lure prey ever closer with nectar, until the insects fall into the trap. Sundews evolved their own natural flypaper to trap unsuspecting organisms. Still others use bladder traps to vacuum up their prey, or “lobster-pot” traps that are easy to enter yet impossible to leave.
Epipremnum pinnatum ‘Skeleton Key’
Not only do we love the name — which puts us in mind of vintage, Gothic looking keys and murder mysteries — we just love this cool-looking plant! Give them a rich but well-draining potting mix and a spot with bright, but filtered, light. Add a moss pole or totem for your Skeleton Key to climb and it will help it develop its striking, key-like leaves.
Bat-Face Cuphea
Okay, we admit it: Cuphea llavea isn’t so much eerie as flat-out cute with its batty little blooms! The dark purple portion of the flower forms the face of the bat, while the red lobes make its ears. Adorable, right? These Central America natives want bright sun to partial shade, bloom from springtime until the first frost, and attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden! If you live in the right zone, these plants are perennials outdoors — but with the right placement near a bright window, those in cooler climates may be able to overwinter these plants indoors.
Brain Cactus
One look at a Mammillaria elongata ‘Cristata’ and you know how it got its nickname. In a nice bright window, and possibly in a pot that resembles a skull, these cool cacti will lend your indoor garden a definite Dr. Frankenstein vibe. Their brain-like shape is typically the result of damage, or more rarely mutation, that influences the growth. Give these spooky plants a gritty, well-draining potting mix, and be careful about watering as moisture can become trapped in the folds and lead to mildew, rot, and general unpleasantness. If you have a small watering can and good aim, you should be fine — otherwise consider bottom-watering to avoid any issues.
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Happy planting,
Libby & Allis