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Growing tacca bat flowers is a great way to have an unusual flower or novelty plant, both indoors and outdoors. Information on the bat flower indicates that the plant is actually an orchid. Those in warm areas can learn how to grow the beautiful and unique bat flower outdoors. In more seasonal areas, the bat flower info says the plant and ruffled flower will grow vigorously indoors if happy with the conditions. Bat Flower Information The bat flower (Tacca chantieri) is an exotic plant with flowers that mimic a bat in flight, deep purple with ruffled wings and long pendulous filaments. Indoor blooms and those outdoors in semi-tropical climates can appear in spring and last through early fall. Large, attractive leaves surround the flower.
Growing bat flowers requires a little extra bat flower care, but blooms of this unusual specialty plant make the extra bat flower care worthwhile. An interesting tip in Bat Flower Info is that large plants usually have a greater success rate than smaller ones.
How to grow bat flowers The information on bat flowers depends on the cold that this plant can tolerate. One source says it shouldn’t be exposed to temperatures below 55 degrees F (13 C), while another says it can handle temperatures as low as the mid-30s (2 C). Be sure to keep your bat flower away from cold temperatures and the sun. If you grow this plant outdoors, plant it in the shade. Caring for the bat flower indoors also includes a shady location and annual repotting for the fast-growing plant. This plant does not like root binding. Pot until you reach a 10 or 12 inch (25-31 cm) pot; After that, cut off the roots and, if desired, return to a pot of the same size. Well-drained soil is a must when growing tacca bat flowers and should remain slightly moist at all times. The soil should be light and retain moisture, but never become waterlogged. Try making your own potting soil by adding perlite and vermiculite to a good peat-based soil. Plants that grow outdoors benefit from sand in the soil, just not too much.
Bat flower info states that the plant is allowed to dry out during the dormant period. Keep this in mind when caring for bat flowers during the dormant period, in autumn and winter. In warmer areas, bat flowers reportedly do not experience a dormant period. Fertilize monthly or every six weeks with a regular houseplant fertilizer and occasionally with an acid-promoting plant fertilizer like the one you use for your azaleas. Now that you’ve learned how to grow a bat flower, try growing your own to see if you have the green thumb for this plant. You’re likely to get a lot of comments and questions about this unusual flowering plant.
