Again, me using the Healing Pot ability is 10,000x more effective as a character than the dark flower simply because I can use it as a obstacle to run around and attempt to get the opposing player to shoot it instead of me
Well to me, that's exactly one of the benefits of the dark flower. If you have it hidden to one side of a path, and are stationed on the opposite side near some cover, any opponent has to contend with 2 targets now. Provided they can even tell where the dark flower is hidden. If that's the first thing they see, they will attack it, giving you a clear shot at them. And if they see you first, you can fire from cover, and the dark flower will be steadily be weakening them.
You can also position dark flower so that it hits zombies in the back as they pass it trying get to the base. They will either continue on towards the base and take steady damage, so they're easier to pick off, by the team, or they will turn around to see who's shooting at them and try to take out the flower, leaving the plant team the chance to attack.
Dark flower may not suite your play style, but it still can be used effectively.