Bat flower (Tacca)




Tacca integrifolia, the white flowering tacca

The 'Bat'


Why bat plant? the large white 'ears' maybe? or white wings? not sure what the long filaments have to do with a bat, but as usual, talk to people about a tacca and they look at your with a blank stare. Say, "uh,I meant bat plant", and they knowingly nod thinking there was a momentary lapse into insanity.




Morning Light

Here in Central Florida, this plant does well in semi-shade,  planted in moist humus-rich garden soil. It seems to be happy with its neighbor Farfugium japonicum.




I tried to grow the black flowering tacca with no success even though it is said to easier to grow then the white tacca.

in bud

Taccas flower in late summer through fall and one can find them for sale in the box stores around Halloween. I recommend getting the largest plant you can find and afford, the smaller ones seem to have a harder time to get established. 

long filaments, or whiskers?




8 comments:

  1. diese schöne Blume habe ich noch nie gesehen
    toll,toll,toll

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    1. Sehr tropisch, aber ich denke ich habe sie schon mal beim Dehner gesehen.

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  2. Fascinating plant! I may be afraid to stand beside it too long; I can imagine those tentacles wrapping around my neck and perhaps caressing my face! My kind of plant!

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    1. Deb, thanks for visiting :-) ... hahaa, too funny and now I will never look at this flower without that vision in my mind, tentacles wrapping around my neck ;-)

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  3. Oh, the Tacca integrifolia is a beautiful plant, I have looked at this one many times before and I would have loved to grow it but I have heard it is notoriously difficult here in Britain, especially since it doesn’t like our winters so I haven’t tried it yet. I would have had to grow it in a container so I could take it in the shed during cold spells – a bit too big for that I guess. Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos!

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    1. Thanks for visiting Helene :-) I agree, to have as house plant it takes extra effort, treat it as a paphiopedilum, bright filtered light, high humidity during summer and cool and dry during winter.

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  4. I knew there had to be a Halloween connection ! LOL
    What a stunner it is .. now I am wondering about the black one ;-)

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    1. the black one is so very nice, even more Halloween-ish. I'll have to try with it again sometime

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