Halloween Plants

Happy Halloween Blog World people! 

What image do we think of first when we think of Halloween?  I’ll give you a clue … it comes from a PLANT.

 yaguargod at flickr

Pumpkins are the universal symbol for Halloween, at least in North America.  Here are some other plants that might also compliment the day and season.

Spooky-looking trees also do their part in haunting us each Halloween.  However, did you know that there are some real plant monsters out there too?  Here are a few.

Bat Plant or “Devil Flower”

Tacca chantrieri is native to Southeast Asia where it grows in the shady understory of a tropical forest.  It’s bloom resembles a flying bat or even a black cat with whiskers.  You can also find it growing in the shade in south Florida.  Imagine running into this creature on a dark and scary Halloween night?

  Venus Flytrap

The finger-like cilia of the carnivorous Venus Flytrap or Dionaea muscipula  actually resemble teeth.  These cilia help trap insects inside the two leaves, where they are soon digested by the plant.   This plant actually grows within a 100 to 200-mile radius of my hometown, Wilmington, NC.

Happy Halloween everyone.  I hope you have a SPOOKtacular one!