Black Cotton Plant (Gossypium herbaceum ‘Nigra’)

I've grown this plant for the past few summers and it never fails to get comments in my garden. However, to be at its best this plant (like any cotton) is greedy. It has an extensive root system that loves water. It is a heavy feeder, especially in a pot, so make sure you fertilize it well. Also, if you have colder summers it won't reach its full potential, as it relishes the heat. I keep mine in a large pot with a nice microclimate from the reflected heat of a stone wall. That said, this plant is stunning. The leaves almost look like suede, and the flowers are lovely, like more ephemeral magenta hibiscus. But if you can get it growing well over the summer with plenty of water, fertilizer, and heat, you'll be rewarded in the fall with stunning white plumes of cotton amid the inky leaves. Added to a vase either fresh or dry, branches from Black Cotton will take your breath away.