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The last three months are arguably the coziest, most delightful time of the year. The air is crisp, the aroma of fall leaves and pumpkins create an ambiance, and there’s nonstop food shared in abundance. It’s also the season for our favorite holidays: Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween!
It’s hard to choose the most favorite when each of these holidays has it’s own unique thing. The oven smells different every time! But Halloween, to me, has the most room for creative freedom. Costumes, food, and decorations can be changed every year, depending on what’s on-trend or what your child (or inner child) is obsessed about this year.
But let’s be real plastic skeletons, fake tombstones, cheap-looking pumpkins, and those tawdry red forks and horns do not go well with your carefully curated house decor. These goblins and ghouls aren’t environmentally friendly, and they take up precious storage space.
On the other hand, a bizarre-looking houseplant will upgrade the level of your space. Even though the season is all about the undead, bring in new life to your house. These otherworldly plants are unusual but impossibly chic.
Begonia Mazae Nigricans
Begonias are some of the most visually interesting plants you can grow indoors. They are not beginner level plants in the way that the pothos and spider plants are, but they aren’t also that difficult to care for.
This stunning Begonia Mazae Nigricans is a vining plant that gives you this velvety black appearance. Its emerald bands and light green blades remind me of the witching hour.
Rex Begonia
With over 1,000 species and a seemingly never-ending list of varieties, the Begonia is definitely showing up on this list a second time. Hey, you might even consider a begonia-themed Halloween, and it will be just as bizarre and visually pleasing.
The Twilight Zone swirl patterns of the Rex Begonia are so hypnotic and fascinating, I recommend dedicating a full corner for these entrancing friends. Also called the fancy-leaf Begonia, there are different colorations of this plant from green, red, silver, and purple.
ZZ Raven
Elegant, shiny, and waxy, the ZZ Raven plant would definitely belong in Morticia Addam’s collection. The tropical Zamioculcas Zamiifolia plant is pretty much available anywhere. However, this rare black variety is patented, and only patent holders can grow and sell the ZZ Raven. In North America, you can get your hands on the ZZ Raven at Costa Farm.
With its gorgeous shape and poised form, you can place this houseplant in a room that doesn’t get much sun. The ZZ-plant has bulbous roots that protrude right out of the soil. These are like storage tanks that keep water, and they make sure that the whole plant is properly hydrated. So the best care for the Raven is to let it dry out in between watering.
Read more: about growing zz plants indoors
Colocasia Black Magic
Also known as Black Elephant Ears, the leaves are a velvety purple-black. It’s the kind of houseplant every Goth should own. Picture this situated in your entrance with a skull decor, and you’ve got yourself an elegantly spooky setup.
The Colocasia Black Magic is native to Southern Asia, Eastern Australia, and the Southern Pacific. With that in mind, the colocasia prefers a more humid environment. It may not have any new growth in the wintertime.
This is not a beginner’s plant as it tends to be more demanding in care and attention. Give this some bright filtered light and be sure not to overwater it. Bring out your humidifier and make sure it’s potted with proper drainage.
Euphorbia Mammillaris Variegata
There are some plant lovers who are not fans of cacti. They are pointy, ribbed, spiky, and there’s really not much to do with them. But for Halloween, these weirdly shaped green shrubs are the perfect plant decor.
The Euphorbia Mammillaris Variegata also goes by the name Indian Corn Cob. What makes this a perfect addition to your holiday decor is the weirdly beautiful color it turns into during the colder weather. The stems turn into a rosy pink, and it produces small red and orange flowers.
Huernia Cactus
With blooms in an irregular shape and zebra stripes, this plant gives off a freaky extraterrestrial vibe. The Huernia Life Saver Cactus is actually not a member of the cactus family. The spines that resemble the cactus are tubercles, warty bumps that line the stem ridges.
So actually, this plant belongs to the genus Huernia, a type of low-growing perennial succulent native to the deserts of Africa. The Huernia Cactus is considered famine food by inhabitants of Konso. Thus, it is also referred to as Lifesaver plants.
You can grow the Huernia in a bonsai plate or a small dish. Place under a bright light or partial shade and in a potting mix with proper drainage.
Purple Oxalis
While it does look like a purple shamrock, this trifoliate plant has the dark, moody hue that reminds me of hanging bats. The Purple Oxalis is actually a group of small plants that grow from bulbs.
This is a low-maintenance plant, but it cannot tolerate wet soils. The plant must be homed in a container with a drain hole.
Burgundy Ripple Peperomia
What spooky decorations would be complete without one resembling gross body parts? This dark purple variegated foliage with red stems rounds up our list today. Just look at that texture, that shape, that bloody hue!
This is a rare variety of peperomia that is slow-growing. You can place them in quirky pots and in small spaces. They like partial shade and not too much water.
Are these plants giving you Hallow-mania? Take these suggestions and decorate your home plants that spark joy. Or you can go the way of Morticia Addams and snip away the blooming red roses and decorate with the thorny stems. It’s Halloween, you do you!
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