Black Dahlia
Definition
A cultivar of the dahlia flower (Dahlia pinnata) characterized by deep burgundy, purplish-black, or near-black petals, often associated with gothic or Victorian garden aesthetics.
The nickname given to Elizabeth Short, the victim of a brutal, unsolved murder in Los Angeles in 1947, which became one of America's most infamous cold cases, inspiring books, films, and endless true-crime speculation.
Examples
My black dahlia bloomed overnight, turning my garden into a noir detective novel come to life.
She sipped her Black Dahlia cocktail, smirking at how it matched the flower's dramatic flair—and zero body count.
The true-crime podcaster's tattoo of a black dahlia whispered 'mystery' louder than any suspect ever could.
He planted a black dahlia to class up his yard, but now the neighbors think he's auditioning for a horror flick.