How to Grow Bat Flowers - Tacca Chantieri
People describe the Bat Flower using a variety of adjectives. These adjectives
include: unusual, odd, unique, bizarre exquisite, magnificent, fascinating,
and beautiful. Get the picture!? Among growers, one thing is common.... they
really like their Bat Flowers.
Native to Asia, Tacca Chantieri plants grow wild in places like the tropical
forest in Yunnan Province, China. These beautiful plants can grow up to 36"
tall. They produce big blooms up to 12" across, with "whiskers" that can
grow 28" in length! The most common color is black. A rarer White Bat
Flower, is also available.
Grow Bat Flowers indoors or out. They prefer light shade, making them good
candidates for your shade garden. They are popular as indoors houseplants,
grown in containers.
Tip: Bat Flower plants do not like to be root bound. Repot as needed.
Plant Propagation:
Bat Flowers can be propagated from seeds, or plant rhizomes. Seeds can take
months to germinate. A heated germination mat is strongly recommended. Most
people propagate them using the rhizomes or tuberous roots.
Dig up rhizomes of established plants in the Fall, and divide into clumps
for re-planting.
How to Grow Bat Flower Plants:
These beautiful flowers grow best in well-drained, fertile soil. Keep soil
moist, and do not let it dry out. Fertilize plants regularly, with a general
purpose fertilizer. For indoor plants, apply liquid fertilizer or plant spikes.
Plants like high humidity. Avoid cold and hot temperature extremes. Air
circulation is important, to avoid plant disease.
Bat Flower plants prefer sun to light shade. Try them in your shade garden,
or on the north side of the house.
Divide and separate rhizomes in the Fall. Divide the Rhizomes into clumps,
using a sharp knife. Replant the rhizomes, spacing them three to four feet
apart.
Repot container plants before they become root bound.
Insects and Disease:
Slugs and snails like Bat flowers. See Snail
and Slug Control
Soil borne disease is common. To minimize problems, keep soil moist not wet,
and provide air circulation.
|
