This may be one of the most impressive ornamental plants I have ever seen, let alone grown; plants can get 3 feet tall or more if grown for long periods of time, and under proper lighting develop leaves and stems that are, in fact, BLACK in color. Not the nearly-so purplish or maroon that a lot of plants may sport, this thing turns an ominous inky color when it’s happy. The flowers and fruits are equally striking, blooms star-shaped and a rich, deep violet, turning into small round fruits that start out just as black as the rest of the plant before ripening to a brilliant scarlet, contrasting with the foliage. Though called ornamental, the fruits are edible, and pack a 20,000 Scoville rating heat (so if wanting to spice something without adding a lot of extra flavor, they’re great to use). Packets or dried fruits contain approx. 20+ seeds.Seeds are shipped padded in either standard mail or padded envelopes via USPS. US shipping only, and shipping options with tracking and insurance must be chosen in order to qualify for replacement guarantees should mail become lost in transit; during holiday seasons, Padded First Class or Priority shipping options are recommended to ward against lost mail. Seeds can take time and in some cases special treatment in order to germinate; returns are not accepted, and refunds cannot be given upon receipt of the seed packets. If multiple items are bought at once or special requests for shipping additions not included in the options selected (tracking, insurance, etc.), PLEASE MESSAGE FOR INVOICE TOTALS BEFORE FINALIZING A PURCHASE AND PAYING. COMBINED SHIPPING CANNOT BE OFFERED IF PAYMENT IS RECEIVED BEFORE A REQUEST; ADDITIONAL ITEMS MAY BE GIVEN INSTEAD.