These Black Succulents Will Instantly Give Your Home Haunted House Vibes This Halloween

You definitely don't have to wait until October to start decorating for Halloween. Now that the days are getting shorter and the temperatures are dropping, it's the perfect time to add some spooky decor to your home, like black succulents. These fun plants are the perfect mix of eerie and stunning, and their naturally darker leaves (no artificial dyes here) look especially eye-catching next to the bright hues of pumpkins and gourds. (They'll look even more festive in a pumpkin planter.) Here's what you need to know about these easy-to-care-for houseplants and where you can buy one to feature with the rest of your Halloween decorations.

There are a few different kinds of these striking succulents, and one that's been popping up a lot on Instagram is a hens-and-chicks variety fittingly known as 'Black Prince' ($17, Etsy). It produces rosettes of thick leaves that are actually an intense purple, but they appear black. It's a relatively small plant that can grow up to six inches tall and eight inches wide. This variety grows incredibly well indoors and would look great on your coffee table or even be arranged as a Halloween centerpiece.

Related: 8 Spooky Plants That Scream Halloween

'Black Knight' echeveria ($7, Etsy) is equally bewitching. It boasts rosettes of thick, curved, pointed leaves that, with a little imagination, look like monster claws. The new leaves start bright green but turn darker as they grow, giving this variety an especially eye-catching two-toned look.

Courtesy of Rachel Weber

Another dark-leaved succulent in high demand is Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop ($17, Amazon), commonly referred to as Black Rose aeonium. Its stems can grow up to three feet tall, topped with rosettes of paddle-shape leaves that can get up to 8 inches in diameter. The fleshy foliage is very dark, nearly black, purple.

If you do decide to grow a few of these spellbinding selections, keep in mind they are not frost-hardy, so they should be kept inside in cold weather. To grow them indoors, make sure to place them in a pot that has drainage holes and fill it with a well-draining cactus and succulent potting mix ($12, Amazon) that lets water drain extra well. When you pot up your new plant, give it a thorough soaking, and then only water about once a week if the potting mix feels dry an inch down. Place them near a sunny south- or west-facing window in a room that stays above 65°F.

Courtesy of Meredith McGrath

Related: 12 Spectacular Succulents to Boost Your Houseplant Collection

Succulents have been having a moment for a few years now, and it's no surprise as to why. There are so many unique varieties, they're easy to care for, and they can be grown both indoors and outside. So give these dark-leaved succulents a try, and you'll soon see how spooky cool these plants can be.