Yet many, more so than ever, are seeking that elusive black flower. Not just because we are morbid, or even chic; not even because we think it makes a fitting memorial to life - but often because we just can't have it.
Black Flowers that Aren't
We sometimes hear references to what seem to be black flowers which raise our hopes - but they are never what they seem. The legendary Black Dahlia for instance isn't even a flower, but rather the name given to the victim of a bizarre and unsolved murder in 1947. The crime became famous again in 1987 when James Ellroy wrote a book on the case called Black Dahlia - a name apparently given to the victim because she had black hair and a habit of dressing completely in that color.
Perk up your ears when hearing of a book on The Black Tulip and you will find it is an oldie authored by Alexandre Dumas of Three Musketeers fame. At least this one is really about black flowers, as the plot begins when Cornelius Van Baerle grows a perfect black tulip--a feat which nobody had been able to do before. Unfortunately no one has been able to do so since, either -- or ever, in reality, although we have some deep purple and burgundy tulips that we pay lip service to as being black. But based on Dumas, the desire for exotic dusky coloring in plants is not something new at all.
Perhaps it's just that now we have the technology that may make it possible.
Black rose is the name of a witches coven, a boutique, a couple of magazines and even an Irish pub in Boston. An Internet company raises false hopes with its promise to send black roses for any occasion - only upon digging deep into the site do we discover that they are black silk - or dried and dyed.
Black Plants that Disappoint
More disappointing is discovering that Chinese tree peonies are listed in many catalogs under the color black, except that not one of them is - although some are a fairly deep maroon. But not one seems to be even as dark as the so-called "black" tulips that fail to meet the color test.
Look for a "black hellebore" as the name Helleborus niger indicates and you'll see white flowers and green leaves. You have to dig underground for the black.
A few pansies and many irises look black at first glance -- but hold them to the light and you can see the underlying tones of purple, red or blue.
One has to wonder, with black being such a potent symbol of nature, why nature sees fit to give us black spot, but no black roses, or much of anything else that grows from roots and seeds in basic black. Or even, like Iris chrysographes 'Black Night' or Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' (black mondo grass), plants that are at least convincing to the eye.
Perhaps she intended the plants to be a sort of yin to the yang of the rich black earth. White, in light, is composed of all the colors of the universe so flowers may be the light to balance the darkness of the soil.
Or perhaps Nature simply wanted to leave us something to seek - forms of darkness that are beautiful and in no way representative of mourning, evil or other forces of darkness.
On the other hand she may simply be testing our powers of imagination. Think how many plants we have agreed to call black - even though our eyes tell us otherwise. A true testament to the symbolic power of the color of night. And think of all those plants that have a reputation as part of "black magic." No wonder so many of us are fascinated.
 |
 |
 |
 |
