Last minute Halloween costumes inspired by Ontario’s native plants

Don’t worry if you’ve left your Halloween costume planning to the last minute – I can help. This year, I’ve been inspired by Ontario’s native wildflowers to create simple Halloween costumes you can make at home.

1.) Queen Anne’s Lace

Put on a white shirt covered with doilies or lace and draw a red flower on your stomach. A crown on your head will lend you a royal air. To go the extra mile, attach construction paper carrots to your feet to represent the plant’s carrot-like roots.

Queen Anne’s lace © cmpryor CC BY 2.0

2.) Black-eyed Susan

Cut 8-21 petals out of yellow construction paper and tape them to a ribbon that will frame your face. Then draw big black circles around each eye. Wear a yellow shirt and green pants. Finally, tape a construction paper bee to your head – pollinators love this flower!

Black-eyed Susan © Leslie Bol

3.) Cucumber Tree

Put on brown pants and a green shirt. Cut large oval-shaped leaves out of green construction paper and tape them to your shirt. Mini cucumbers taped to your arms will complete your look.

Cucumber magnolia © Katherine Wagner-Reiss

4.) Skunk Cabbage

Paint your face with black and white stripes and use construction paper to make a black and white skunk tail. Hold onto a cabbage for the duration of the night so you aren’t mistaken for a plain old skunk.

Skunk cabbage © Bill Crowley

5.) Bearberry

Make bear ears out of construction paper and paint your nose black. Cut strawberry, blueberry, and raspberry shapes out of construction paper and tape them to the rest of your body.

Bearberry © Ser Amantio di Nicolao CC BY 2.0

6.) Yellow Bedstraw

Find an online picture of a bed with a yellow duvet. Print it and tape it to your chest. Cover the rest of your body with straw.

Yellow bedstraw © CameliaTWU CC BY NC-ND-SA 2.0

7.) Ghost Pipe

This plant lacks chlorophyll and resembles a translucent, white ghost rising from the ground. Be a creative ghost this year by putting on a white sheet and calling yourself the ghost of the forest.

Ghost-pipe © Sentrawoods CC BY NC-ND-SA 2.0

8.) Hooded Ladies Tresses

Ladies, it doesn’t get simpler than this. Put on a hooded sweater that covers your hair.

Hooded ladies-tresses © Native Orchids CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

9.) Touch Me Not (aka Jewelweed)

Write “touch me” on a sheet of white paper and tape it to your front. On your back, tape a piece of paper that says “not”. If someone tries to touch you, push their hand away and point to the sign on your back.

Orange jewelweed © hounddiggity CC BY-NC 2.0

10.) Twinleaf

This one is for couples. Make two identical leaves from construction paper and tape them to your shirt. Stay together all night, or you risk looking like you put no thought into your costume.

Twinleaf © tgpotterfield CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Happy Halloween!

Megan Anevich was Ontario Nature’s nature reserves coordinator. She spent plenty of time at the reserves leading stewardship activities, looking for critters and falling into wetlands.