While there are not many black things in nature, we managed to put together a list of black foods, plants, animals, and random things that are black. Can you guess what they are?
Oh, black. Such a mysterious and intimidating color, black is wildly misunderstood. It is a glamorous color that conceals its vulnerabilities and doesn’t come often in nature.
After all, how many black flowers do you know?
For that reason, we’ve listed 102 things that are naturally black. Also, this article is divided into a visual representation of naturally black things, followed by a list of black foods, plants, and animals.
We hope you enjoy it!
What is associated with black?
Because of its mysterious facade, black is intimidating and is often associated with authority. This color is often attributed to expensive products too.
Even though it is the most common color in business attire, black is not one of the most popular favorite colors.
A visual list of things that are black
Here’s the list of things, foods, plants, and animals that are black.
Black things
1. Obsidian
Obsidian: Any Game of Thrones, Tomb Raider, and many other adventure/fiction books and games, knows obsidian is a strong glass capable of causing real damage. This volcanic glass widely used in cutting and piercing tools in the past is formed when lava extruded from a volcano cools down quickly with minimal crystal growth.
2. Black Sapphire
Black Sapphire: Among other black things is this less expensive gemstone used for making jewelry.
3. Black Opal
Black Opal: Exceptionally rare gemstones mainly found in Australia used for creating beauty products.
4. Black Sand
Black Sand: Black sand is one of the black things in nature. It is usually fine and of higher density.
5. Melanite
Melanite: Melanite is a nesosilicate belonging to the garnet group and is recognized as one of the black things in nature.
6. Black Hole
Black Hole: A spacetime region located in space where gravity is so strong that no particle or light can dodge the force.
7. Charcoal
Charcoal: From barbecues to bonfires, charcoal is used worldwide, although its use has been declining due to environmental reasons. This lightweight human-made black carbon residue is made by strongly heating wood in minimal oxygen.
8. Coal
Coal: Very similar to charcoal, coal is a natural combustible black sedimentary rock, formed when plant matter decays into peat and is converted into coal by the heat and pressure of deep burial over millions of years.
9. Black Jasper
Black Jasper: Dense and opaque, Black Jasper is a healing gemstone used to ground energies and relieve pain, stomach ailments, and feet problems.
10. Black Tourmaline
Black Tourmaline: A special crystal with a hexagonal shape belonging to the aluminum borosilicate family.
11. Black Diopside
Black Diopside: This mineral is used in ceramics, glass-making, and fuel cell technology, and occurs in a number of colors, including green, dull yellow, brown, and black.
12. Black Spinel
Black spinels are one of the most precious gemstones in the world. Its name comes from Greek and means to spark. Besides, this black gemstone is often mistaken for black diamonds due to its opaque, jet-black appearance.
13. Black Hair
Black hair: Black hair is the darkest and most common of all human hair colors globally due to larger populations with this dominant trait. It’s estimated that between 75%-85% of the world’s population has black hair.
14. Black Eyes
Black eyes: It’s estimated that between 70%-79% of the world population has brown eyes. What we call black eyes are actually a deep and very dark shade of brown. Still, if you look closer or under the sunlight, you’ll see it’s brown.
15. Black Quartz
Black Quartz: This mineral gets its color from the aluminum in its composition that changes the quartz structure allowing it to absorb light.
Black food
16. Black Rice
Black Rice: A highly south after rice of the Oryza sativa species, also known as the Forbidden Rice.
17. Indigo Rose Tomato
Indigo Rose Tomato: High in antioxidants, these tomatoes have such a deep indigo color that appear to be black under certain light conditions.
18. Coffee
Coffee: This black beverage is extracted from coffee beans and is brownish-black.
19. Black Beans
Black Beans: They are categorized as legumes with a robust and shell-like outlook, otherwise referred to as Turtle beans.
20. Black Pepper
Black pepper: A flowering vine that is processed for spice and seasoning, and belongs to the Piperaceae family.
21. Black Tea Leaf
Black Tea Leaf: Due to oxidation, these tea leaves become rich dark brown to black.
22. Black Olive
Black olive: This one-seeded fruit is one of the most delicious black things in nature, and it is usually prickled in oil and utilized as a relish.
23. Black Garlic
Black garlic: Aged-long garlic with a dark brown color caused by the Maillard reaction.
24. Black Quinoa
Black quinoa: Among many black things in nature are these attractive grain-like black quinoa.
25. Black Sesame Seeds
Black sesame seeds: One of the unique black things is these nutrient-rich black sesame oilseeds.
26. Blackberry
Blackberry: Other unique things that are black are these edible blackberry fruits.
Black plants
27. Black Velvet Petunia
Black velvet petunia: Known as the world’s only black petunias, with a sticky, hairy, and glowy dark color.
28. Black Tulip
Black tulip: One of the rare black things in the world is this blooming black tulip flower.
29. Bat Orchid
Bat orchid: Another black thing in nature is this special Bat plant belonging to the flowering plant species.
30. Black Hellebore
Hellebore: Also known as a Christmas rose, this plant is an evergreen perennial that is often used for making medicines.
31. Black Pansy
Black Pansy: A royal deep black flower with beautiful petals that create a distinction in the flower bed.
32. Black Dahlia
Black Dahlia: A dazzling flower with a curvy, pointed petal that flourishes more on sandy loam.
33. Silver-Laced Primrose
Silver-Laced Primrose: The blackish garden-friendly primrose creates blooms with a crenated whitish edge and a yellowish eye.
34. Iris ‘Before the Storm’
Iris ‘Before the Storm’: A representation of dramatic beauty with its flowers displaying staggeringly flaring falls.
35. Black Pearl
Black Pearl: Among the black things are these Ornamental Pepper Pearl known for their unique dark leaves and fruits.
36. Black Mondo Grass
Black Mondo Grass: An uncommon darkish flowering plant belonging to the Asparagaceae family.
37. Black Bamboo
Black bamboo: Striking and beautiful, black bamboo is an Asian type of grass that is excellent for landscaping.
38. Black Bearded Iris
Black bearded iris: These black flowers have a dark purple color, almost black, that makes them a unique plant for any garden.
39. Black Lace Elderberry Bush
Black Lace Elderberry: With intense purple-black foliage, this plant gives an effect similar to that of Japanese maple.
40. Black Pearl Coral Bell
Black Pearl Coral Bell: It’s a stunning black foliage plant not only for shade but also for the sun.
41. Black Hollyhock Blossom
Black Hollyhock Blossom: This flower appears black in the shade or cloudy days, but has a red hint in bright sun.
42. Mangave Black Magic
Mangave Black Magic: This hybrid succulent has long, flat black leaves that grow at a fast rate.
43. Coleus Black Prince
Coleus Black Prince: This evergreen perennial plant has several leaves’ colors, including black.
44. Black Orchid
Black Orchid: Orchids are beautiful flowers with a whole variety of petal colors, including black, green, purple, and white.
45. Black Widow Cranesbill Geranium
Black Widow Cranesbill Geranium: This strong growing flower species has a distinctive purple-black color.
46. Blackie Ipomoea Sweet Potato Vine
Blackie Ipomoea Sweet Potato Vine: This beautiful vine offers vigorous trailing foliage with dark, burgundy black, maple-shaped leaves.
47. Chocolate Cosmo
Chocolate Cosmo: These dark reddish-brown, almost black, flowers have a chocolate scent and attract lots of butterflies.
48. Black Baccara Rose
Black Baccara Rose: The Black Baccara is the darkest rose in the world. It has a dark red color that under certain light conditions might appear to be black, however, real black roses don’t exist.
49. Chocolate Lily
Chocolate Lily: Native of the Pacific Northeast, these perennial flowers have a striking reddish-black color.
50. Elephant Ears Black Magic
Elephant Ears Black Magic: This perennial plant has heart-shaped, long-stalked purplish-black leaves.
51. Diabolo Ninebark
Diabolo Ninebark: This plant has eye-catching flowers and reddish-black leaves.
52. Black Fang Begonia
Black Fang Begonia: This flowering tropical plant has black and unusual shape foliage.
53. Molly Sanderson Viola
Molly Sanderson Viola: Very rare and elegant, these flowers have a glamorous jet-black color. Its petals are edible!
54. Ornamental Millet
Ornamental Millet: Native to Africa, these purple-black leaf blades and spike are distinctly different from all other ornamentals.
55. Ornamental Pepper Black Pearl
Ornamental Pepper Black Pearl: Having lovely black foliage, this plant produces clusters of red, pearl-like, shiny peppers.
56. Black Rose Aeonium
Black Rose Aeonium: This plant has nearly black foliage and clusters of yellow flowers that bring contrast and drama into any garden.
57. Black Persian Lily
Black Persian Lily: This stunning plant has pendant bell-like flowers in deep purple to almost black.
58. Black Odessa Calla Lily
Black Odessa Calla Lily: Singular and spectacular, this deep-purple, nearly black, flower attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
59. Black Diamond Crape Myrtle
Black Diamond Crape Myrtle: Black Diamond is a variety of dwarf Crape Myrtle with deep purple to black foliage and a number of vibrant flower colors.
Black animals
60. Crow
Crow: This smart black bird is adaptive and well known for its loud “caw.”
61. Black-Billed Magpie
Black-Billed Magpie: Also known as American Magpie, this beautiful bird is black, white, and blue and inhabits western North America.
62. African Black Beetle
African Black Beetle: Usually found under the soil, the African Black Beetle is similar to cockchafers in appearance and occurs early in the year. Although native to the African continent, this black beetle is now present in Oceania as well.
63. Black Rooster Ayam Cemani
Black Rooster Ayam Cemani: A special kind of chicken from Indonesia, with a dominant gene that darkens the beak, feathers, and internal organs of the chicken.
64. Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee: Native to Africa, this great ape is covered in coarse black hair. Only its face, fingers, toes, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet are bare.
65. Black Cat
Black Cat: It is a domestic cat that is black in nature, with dark fur.
66. Common Hill Myna
Common Hill Myna: This stunning bird has black feathers with a hint of blue and bright orange-yellow patches. It is native to Bangladesh.
67. American Black Bear
American Black Bear: These are mid-sized bears from North America and have a rich coat in deep shades of black.
68. American Oil Beetle
American Oil Beetle: This beetle has a soft abdomen and shiny black shell covering most of its body.
69. Black Squirrel
Black Squirrel: This little black animal shares the same natural range as its non-melanistic counterparts, and is mostly found in Canada, United Kingdom, and the United States.
70. Black Wolf
Black Wolf: This melanistic color variant of the gray wolf is more common in southern Canada and Minnesota.
71. Great Cormorant
Great Cormorant: Also known as the black shag in New Zealand, this seabird is a widespread member of the cormorant family.
72. Siamang Gibbon
Siamang Gibbon: Native to southeastern Asia, this ape species is covered in black fur.
73. Seal
Seal: Dark brown and black-colored seals are more common in warmer climates.
74. Great Mormon
Great Mormon: Also known as Papilio Memnon, the great Mormons are beautiful black butterflies native to southern Asia. They belong to the swallowtail family. Many people believe butterfly colors have powerful meanings.
75. Black Panther
Black Panther: According to a knowledgeable and dear reader, Black Panthers are leopards and jaguars with a condition called melanism, a fluke of genetics that causes the body to produce an excessive amount of melanin. The animal in the photo is a leopard.
76. Valais Black Neck
Valais Black Neck: It’s a hardy domestic Switzerland goat (from the canton of Valais), and it can survive any weather.
77. Black Banded Owl
Black Banded Owl: This black and gray owl is native to South America and is considered a midsized neotropical bird.
78. Galloway Cattle
Galloway Cattle: An agelong breed of beef cattle from Scotland, named after its origin–the Galloway region of Scotland.
79. Gorilla
Gorilla: This species of apes is mostly herbivorous, and it is found in the forest of central Sub-Saharan Africa.
80. Pacific Black Duck
Pacific Black Duck: This dabbling duck is native to Indonesia, New Guinea, Australia, and a number of islands in the southwestern Pacific.
81. Black Colobus
Black Colobus: A species of the Old World monkey from the genus Colobus family.
82. Raven
Raven: This is the largest of all perching birds, black in color and belonging to the Genus Corvus (one of the various larger-bodied species).
83. Black Grass Snake
Black Grass Snake: This Eurasian snake is non-venomous and its color may range from gray to black, with darker colors being more common in colder regions.
84. Red-Winged Blackbird
Red-Winged Blackbird: A unique passerine bird mostly found in North America and Central America
85. Black Swan
Black Swan: A large waterbird of the swan species inhabits the southeast and southwest regions of Australia.
86. Black Vulture
Black Vulture: A medium-sized dark bird of the New World vulture family.
87. Panda
Panda: Known as the giant panda, the panda bear hails from south-central China.
88. Cayuga Duck
Cayuga Duck: This duck’s plumage is black with iridescent beetle-green hints, however, some feathers may whiten with age.
89. Tasmanian Devil
Tasmanian Devil: This endangered animal has the size of a small dog and has black fur with irregular white patches on the chest.
90. European Starling
European Starling: A mid-sized passerine bird from the starling family known commonly as the starling in the British Isles.
91. Common Grackle
Common Grackle: It is a long-tailed blackbird with a shiny iridescent body and is native to North America.
92. Common Swift
Common Swift: This medium-sized blackish-brown bird is a migratory species that runs from Portugal to West China in the summer and central to southern Africa in the winter.
93. Western Capercaillie
Western Capercaillie: It is the largest of all living grouse species, commonly known as the Eurasian capercaillie.
94. Black Drongo
Black Drongo: A small Asian passerine bird that belongs to the drongo family Dicruridae.
95. Black Bug
Black Bug: They are a typical kind of insect that saps plants and render them futile.
96. Penguin
Penguin: A unique species of flightless marine birds found just in the Southern Hemisphere.
97. Black Garden Ant
Black Garden Ant: A formicine ant belonging to subgenus Lasius species, otherwise known as the common black ant.
98. Blackfly
Blackfly: Among the black things is this blood feasting fly with translucent wings, sturdy legs, and antennae.
99. Red-Bellied Black Snake
Red-Bellied Black Snake: The Australian black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) is a venomous snake of the family Elapidae. It is one of the most dangerous black things in nature.
100. Black Caiman
Black Caiman: A special kind of enormous crocodile belonging to the largest existing members of the Alligatorida family.
101. Varanus Salvator
Varanus Salvator: A large varanid lizard known as the water monitor that originates from South and Southeast Asia.
102. Black Moor
Black Moor Goldfish: These distinctive fish belong in a group known as Fancy Goldfish. Besides their unique color, black moors have large telescopic eyes that set them apart from other goldfish.
Things that are black in nature
While this list of naturally black things isn’t as long as many other lists we have here on the site, it gives you a pretty good idea of animals, foods, and black things there are out there.
Did we forget something? Let us know in the comments!
We promise to continually update this article as we come across more naturally black things.
Did you enjoy reading this list of things that are black in nature? Then be sure to share it with a friend who might like it too!
Darrin Scott Johnson
Tuesday 11th of July 2023
Black Lotus
Sienna
Monday 24th of April 2023
Black horse (a breed that is usally black is a Friesian)
Quan
Monday 21st of November 2022
Sea monkeys are black
Phyllis
Thursday 4th of August 2022
#12 mentioned black diamonds but you didn't show us any.
Phyllis
Thursday 4th of August 2022
Eggplant or aubergine in french. Thank you, beautifully photographed.