Black Velvet

This modest-sized flower grows up to 11 inches (28 cm) tall. Its silver stems grow from the base of the plant in bunches of 6 and are thick and straight, and split into many branching stems at the base, and the huge, red leaves are perforated with rounded edges. Many leaves grow along the entire length of the stem.

Two large flowers sit at the end of each stem. The flowers are 38 cm (15.0 inches) wide, with each petal a slightly different shade of black. The flower head is shaped like a bowl made up of 16 tightly layered, round-tipped petals. They are sturdy.

It has a faint scent that smells like rotten egg, and it has very little pollen; it does not cause any allergic reactions. It is a self-pollinator.