Tacca Species, Bat Flower, Cat's Whiskers, Devil Flower

No problems with either foliage or flowering. I also read that misting is bad for the leaves, so I keep a saucer under the pot and water...Read More about once a week until the saucer fills up. Right now has 3 flowers in December, I keep it potted and on lanai, where it gets mostly shade.

i just saw this plant in a nursery last weekend, here in the philippines. i was able to get a small one that i'll need to nurture until i...Read Moret's bigger. the pot is only about 4 inches diameter and the biggest leaf is 6 inches long. the mother plant has black bat flowers. crossing my fingers i don't kill it! though, it seems that our humidity and weather are going to be conducive to it's growth.

i LOVE my bat flower. it gives me two blooms at a time most of the year here in south florida. haven't tried to germinate one yet but i t...Read Morehink i will. i have mine in miracle grow and a moss basket. i put a tray under the basket and keep that filled with water. i don't mist but our humidity is perfect i think. i do have a problem with the leaves curling but i think it gets a bit of direct afternoon sun filtering down from the arecas.

I have found them easy to grow, but in a very light bark and perlite mix, allowing to dry between waterings. Not the keep moist recommended here...?

BLACK BAT PLANT - Tacca chantrieri
I saw one of these plants for sale. I decided I had better do some research on them, found myse...Read Morelf at this great website.
After reading the info people have added I will now buy a plant for my daughters Christmas gift. Thanks to all who have commented.
I live in Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. Seems this would be a great place for this plant, can't wait to watch it grow.

just brought my first black bat plant, am v exited! I read sprizting them is very bad, causes them to dry out and die, because the pores ...Read Moreopen then dont close again. aparently you take them into the bathroom when you shower they like the hot steam. Hopes this helps any readers.

I don't understand why so many growers have problem in growing this plant. It has the reputation of being very prone to root roting.
...Read More/> I got a young plant last spring and it did fine, flowering all summer till late autumn. In the winter i keep it in an unheated room at an average temperature around 13C/55F. Very hot summer temperatures are not a problem at all, since this plant derives from the seasonally very hot climate of SE Asia. A well drained soil and careful watering are necessary. Also, direct sun must be avoided, because it can damage the plant or even kill it.

I'm on my 2nd tacca. The problem I have is new leaves turn brown and die. I've been misting the leaves to see if that helps, the plant it...Read Moreself never dies but all new growth turns black and shrivels. Any advice would be appreciated.

My Tacca Chantrieri is in bloom now, Mid-March, in South Florida. I just collected some seeds, which drop quickly, so you really have to...Read More keep an eye on it. I have mine in a mostly shade location and in a mixture of sand and compost mixture. I keep it moist year round and I've had wonderful success with it. It's an amazing and beautiful plant.

Hello I'm A school girl from W.a
I dont actually have a Garden...
I'm doing an assignment on plants and i happened to come ...Read Moreacross a beautiful plant Called the Tacca Chantrieri,
I would really like to use the information you all have put up on this website....although i need copyright persmission
(my teacher has asked us to do so) Could i please have your permission do copy this information?

Thankyou so Much (eitherway permission or not)
MysterySchoolGirl xx

My home is in the Glasshouse Mountains, Queensland, Australia.
I bought one plant about 1 1/2 years ago, (local nursery). It had o...Read Morene flower last year in December. It is growing in a pot because, it can be shifted into various shady locations, especially when it flowers. This year, December 2009 I had one flower again. There are four other new plants, that will have to be split up. This year we had a rather cold snap ( 8 degrees in the morning) it did not like that very much - had to be shifted into a warmer spot in the garden. Stunning flower - a talking point with visitors.

I have read that periodically while watering this plant you should use a mixture of 1 gallon of water to 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide..appa...Read Morerently the increase oxygen inhibits roots organisms from harming the plant..This is from the care book by Vessey's farms.

Just received this plant yesterday and am looking forward to see it bloom! Will give update later in summer to advise on it's growing hab...Read Moreit as I reside in North Central Florida.

I acquired 2 small plants and have grown them successfully, including saving seedpods,and growing seedlings~I live in zone 8b and grow my...Read More Tacca in a container, overwintering in a greenhouse. I would not advise growing this plant in the garden, this is a tropical, and has some special needs...

A large perennial from parts of India and East Asia.

Has lance shaped, deep green, smooth leaves that can reach almost 2ft...Read More long. Bears small, dark green-maroon flowers that have 5 petals. Each umbel has a pair of large, dark brown to black bracts with dark green to black, long, hair-like appendages giving the plant a rather strange appearence.

Flowers mainly June-August

Needs a well-drained, open, acid soil with plenty of leaf mould, in light shade. Keep moist, mist the leaves regularly in summer and will need repotting about every 3 years.

Needs to be kept frost free at a temperature of at least 55F or 13C.