Happy October to all the floral enthusiasts out there! This time of year, we love sinking our teeth into caramel apples, swishing through the fallen leaves, and picking out costumes just as much as everyone else. At Kittelberger Florist in Webster, however, we particularly enjoy celebrating all the seasons and holidays with flowers! So, it’s only natural that we’re choosing to celebrate October by getting into the Halloween spirit with the oddly scary and creepily strange flowers of the world. 

Beware! Frightening Flowers Ahead — Not Recommended for the Faint of Heart

Hydnora Africana

Hydnora-Africana

These terrors, native to southern Africa, spend most of their lives living underground. They feed on the roots of neighboring plants, and so do not need to see the sunlight to produce energy. When ready to reproduce, the subterranean plant’s monster-mouth flowers burst from the soil and emit a pungent odor which attracts pollinators like dung beetles and flies. When an insect reaches the flower’s red flesh, its toothy petals snap shut, trapping the unsuspecting bug. It remains closed for several days, only opening when the insect’s sufficiently powdered with pollen.

Stinking Corpse Lily

Stinking Corpse Lily

Native to the island of Sumatra, the stinking corpse lily gets its name from the thick scent of decaying flesh, which it uses to attract pollinators like beetles and flies. The odd-looking flower also boasts the largest single bloom on Earth. Petal to petal, it can grow to almost three-and-a-half feet across. This alien-like flower grows no roots, leaves, or stems, but instead lives within vines on which it parasitically feeds. 

Titan Arum

Sumatran corpse flower – Titan Arum

Due to its shape and strong smell, the titan arum, native to Sumatra, is sometimes confused for the corpse flower. Although it’s a carrion flower, it’s quite different from its Sumatran forest friend. This truly gigantic flower gets its name from the Greek word for giant, and it is truly massive. Full grown and fully bloomed, the titan arum can reach a height of up to 20 feet and measure 16 feet across. It blooms rarely, sometimes as infrequently as once per decade. 

Its stench has the power to turn even the strongest stomachs. Chemical analysis of the plant’s odor have shown similar properties to those found in some of the stinkiest substances including limburger cheese, decaying fish, sweaty socks, chloraseptic, and feces with a hint of sweetness mixed in. 

Try Decorating with These Less-Scary October Flowers

You can decorate for the season without sacrificing the freshly, cider-scented air in your home. We recommend incorporating the following flowers and late-flowers into your seasonal floral decorations. 

Snapdragon Seed Pods

Black Rose

Chrysanthemums

Snapdragon Seed Pods

Here lies a snapdragon. Once vibrant and beautiful, it lived its brief life in the garden. Upon its death, it shed its seed to sprout the next generation. These are seed pods left behind by snapdragon flowers, and they bear a striking resemblance to human skulls — only much, much smaller. We recommend adding these grim seed pods to your floral arrangements or wreaths for added pinch of terror this Halloween. 

Black Roses

Halloween doesn’t get more elegant than it does with black roses. Whether you’re planning Halloween wedding or simply want to add a pinch of the macabre to a holiday celebration, black roses will do the job with style. For a slightly more cheerful effect, mix black roses with a variety of orange and yellow blooms. Tie off the bouquets with ribbon in fun Halloween colors and add a few sparkly spider webs, ghosts, or pumpkin accents. 

Chrysanthemums

Not all flowers for October need to be scary. One of the most popular types of flowers to celebrate autumn are chrysanthemums. These traditionally cheerful flowers bloom in abundance on mum plants. Available in nearly every color of the rainbow, they’re easily incorporated into fall decor with yellow, gold, orange, and burgundy varieties. Mums look beautiful by the front door or as a bright-colored centerpiece. Just be sure to bring your chrysanthemums indoors before a frost!

Perfect Arrangements and Flowers for Autumn, October, and Halloween!

If you’re ready to decorate your home to celebrate the season, look no further than Kittelberger Florist. We have a variety of floral arrangements, decorations, and accents created specially for Autumn, October, and Halloween, such as our Fall Cylinder and Dreamy Dahlias bouquets.

Fall Cylinder

Dreamy Dahlias

Our florists can help you select the best designs for your party, house, or decor theme. Stop by the shop or visit us online today!