In October, brooms can be flown, stews transform to witch’s brews, and cobwebs are intentionally strung across doorways. So, it’s not surprising that the flowers we’re most excited about at Billy Heroman’s Florist in Baton Rouge also transform. The delicate, sweetly scented buds that normally demand all our florists’ attention are overcome with creepy forms, that grow underground, eat insects alive, and put off strangely strong stenches.
When you think of flowers, you don’t normally think scary, but this list might have you second-guessing that garden you were planning to plant next spring. You probably wouldn’t want to risk having these frightening flowers sprouting up in your back yard!
Get in the Halloween Spirit with 5 of the Scariest Flowers and Plants You’ll See This October
1. Titan Arum
Titan Arum – Sumatran Corpse Flower
Native to the islands of Java and Sumatra, this beast of a bloom features flower clusters that grow up to 20 feet tall and 16 feet across. The blooming titan arum, however, is a rare sight. These flowers bloom for the first time after growing for between seven and 10 years. Subsequent blooms can take just as long or might occur as frequently as every few years. Apart from its size and oddly rare flowering schedule, this flower makes our scary list for its strong stench, described as corpse-like. Analysis of this flower’s chemical scent has revealed a bouquet of chemical aromas akin to sweaty socks, feces, rotting fish, Chloraseptic, and Limburger cheese.
2. Stinking Corpse Lily
Stinking Corpse Lily
Another Sumatran native, the stinking corpse lily (Rafflesia Arnoldii) boasts the largest single blooming flower in the world, which can reach a diameter of nearly three-and-a-half feet. This flower grows no actual roots, stems, or leaves, but rather develops more like a type of fungus. The plant’s parasitic, fungus-like threads completely inhabit host vines, feeding off nutrients from the host plant. When the corpse lily’s ready to reproduce, its massive, brightly-colored flower emerges and emits a horrendously strong odor, like the stench of rotting fish.
3. Konjac
Konjac / Voodoo Lily
This plant has many October-worthy names: voodoo lily, devil’s tongue, and snake palm. Whatever you call it, it stinks the same. Although the konjac has an edible root, a common ingredient used in tasty cakes in eastern Asia, the plant itself stinks of an odor that’s been likened to a dead possum. It’s a strange beauty, nevertheless. Plus, in spite of its tropical looks, it’s quite a hardy plant that thrives in many climates.
4. Pitcher Plant
Pitcher Plant
The tropical pitcher plant is so named because it captures water in its bulbous body. The plant then infuses the rainwater with a deadly, syrupy enzyme. Its sweet scent attracts pollinators, rodents, and even small birds. They become trapped inside the pitcher and are then dissolved and digested by the plant’s enzymes. How’s that for a scary story?
5. Subterranean Plants
Hydnora-Africana
If this flower doesn’t give you nightmares, well then, lucky you. This is perhaps the scariest of the strange plants for October. The Hydrnora Africana resembles a hungry, many-toothed creature thrashing out of the soil. Native to southern Africa, the plant lives mostly in the dark, under the ground, where it cannibalistically feeds on the roots of neighboring plants.
Add Some Scary to Your Halloween with Festive, Fragrant Floral Arrangements
Bringing a corpse flower into your home for the scary season would be tricky, not to mention unpleasant. You can, however, celebrate the season with some more traditional holiday blooms and some designed especially for Halloween that pack a more pleasant scent. Black and orange roses, for example, smell and look lovely, festive, and elegant. Embellish your arrangements with skeletal snapdragon seed pods for added frightening effect. You can also create a warm, welcoming atmosphere with the traditional autumn cheer of spider chrysanthemums, sunflowers, and marigolds. Or, just add some seasonal flowers or interesting plants to give your home some pizzazz, such as our Golden Bloom Bouquet or European Garden in Decorative Copper.
European Garden in Decorative Copper
If you’re ready to adorn your home with festive flowers for October, stop by Billy Heroman’s Florist today. Our expert florists can help you select perfectly frightful flowers to celebrate the season.
