Bat flower, Tacca chantrieri – cultivation and care

The original home of the bat flower is the tropical and subtropical regions of Southeast Asia. Among others, this plant can be found in China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Bangladesh and India. The flower grows at altitudes of 200 to 1,300 meters in forested areas, in valleys and on the banks of rivers and streams.

Cultivation from seeds

Bat flowers can be grown from seed indoors all year round. The conditions for growing in a greenhouse are ideal. The plant substrate should be a loose and permeable potting soil. Coconut fibers are also suitable. The air permeability of the substrate is important.

The seeds of the bat flower are small round brown leaves with ringlets on the surface. They are distributed on the moistened potting soil and then covered thinly with soil. An even ambient temperature of 22 to 27 °C is ideal. At a temperature of 25 °C, the seeds will germinate after about four to six weeks. Even after that, the small sprouts need a lot of light. However, direct sunlight should be avoided during the first six weeks after budding. If you don’t want to buy an indoor greenhouse, you can cover the rearing vessel with translucent or transparent film or with glass. Since the seed substrate has to be kept moist during the entire germination period, it is advisable to briefly air the breeding container every three days.

The new seedlings grow very slowly. The young seedlings can only be sorted out carefully about five to eight weeks after they have sprouted. The strongest get more room to grow in the same or in a different container. It is important to be careful not to damage the roots of the transplanted seedlings. Suitable substrates for the young plants are orchid soil and normal potting soil, to which some peat or garden soil can be added. The roots should not be placed too deep in the ground and should only be covered thinly with soil after planting. There may even be a small part of the root ball sticking out of the ground. This will avoid rotting. Repotting is only necessary when the roots of the bat flower are already pushing out of the container.

propagation

In addition, the bat flower can be propagated by dividing the root. This should be done in spring. If, for example, the plant was cut back to the root ball in winter, you can divide it in two in spring and plant each part in its own container. The root parts then bud and each form new leaves and flowers, so that two completely new plants develop from a wintered root and form their own flowers. After one has withered, the flower stalk should be removed.

• Obtain Viable Bat Flower Seeds
• Distribute seed leaves on potting soil or coconut fibers
• Moisten the substrate and cover the seeds thinly with soil.
• After germination, seedlings grow slowly
• Transplanting only necessary after another six to eight weeks
• Plants that shed leaves after repotting will sprout again

The ideal location

Native to the tropics, the bat flower needs an environment with relatively high temperature and humidity to grow. Since the plant is not used to the climate of our latitudes, it cannot easily be kept as a houseplant or garden plant here. Ideal locations for bat flowers are heated plant showcases, air-conditioned terrariums, humid greenhouses or suitable winter gardens in which you can create the optimal climatic conditions with light, heat and water fountains or indoor fountains. A constant room temperature of 23 °C should be guaranteed. A balcony or terrace may also be a suitable location for bat flowers grown in pots. Although you might think that the tropical plant loves the sun,

In tropical forests it grows under trees or in fern-covered river valleys where the sun doesn’t penetrate very often. That is why the bat flower does not like sunny locations with direct sunlight so much. A sunny location on the south side of buildings should therefore be less suitable for the plant. But other plants, roofs or parapets can provide enough shade. Since even windy and draughty places are not very ideal for bat flowers, sheltered corners or glazed mansards are recommended as locations for bat flower cultivation in addition to greenhouses, conservatories, plant showcases and terrariums.

It is important to always heat well and ensure sufficient humidity. Under such conditions, special plant care is no longer required to keep the bat flower blooming for years to come. The humidity in the immediate vicinity of the plant should be very high and around 80 percent. This ensures that new shoots and older leaves do not dry up. If the humidity is not enough, then the bat flower needs regular spraying.

Important room climate and location factors at a glance

• Bright daylight, but no direct sunlight
• Keep the entire plant moist, not just the soil
• Outside of water-sprinkled greenhouses, spray foliage regularly or use a humidifier

watering and fertilizing

During its growth phase from May to September, the bat flower needs a lot of water. The soil should be constantly moist but not too wet. In addition, the pot must not stand in water. If the flower does not have a location with sufficient humidity, the leaves, shoots and flowers must be wetted with regular spraying, otherwise these parts of the plant will dry out. Then the bat flower could not continue to grow. When the water requirement of the bat flower is particularly high, you can tell by its leaves. If they start to droop, the plant is thirsty. Sometimes it is advisable not to water earlier, as this can prevent the root ball from starting to rot due to too much moisture.

During the summer months, the bat flower should be fertilized regularly about every three weeks. Commercial plant fertilizers, flower fertilizers or orchid fertilizers are suitable. Hardly any nutrients need to be supplied during the winter months. If the plant is cut back to the root ball during this time, it no longer needs nutrients.

Special tips for watering

• Water abundantly from May to September
• The irrigation water should be lukewarm.
• Always let some water run directly onto the leaf axils or into the crown of leaves. As a result, new flower stalks develop quickly.
• In the winter months, the water supply can be reduced somewhat

wintering

Bat flowers can overwinter fully at their summer size. However, it is also possible to only bring its rhizomes (rootstock) through the winter and let the plant sprout again in the spring. Then it has to start growing all over again. If the bat flower is on the balcony or terrace and only the rhizomes are to overwinter, then you have to bring them in just before the onset of frost and overwinter indoors at five to 15°C. During this time she hardly needs any water. Only in spring, when new shoots come out of the rhizomes, does the plant have to be watered more frequently.

If the bat flower is to overwinter in all its glory, then a temperature of around 15 to 18 °C is recommended for storage. During this time, the plant only needs moderate watering. Fertilizing or spraying is no longer necessary because no new shoots grow that could dry out. The soil should be evenly moist in winter, then the flowers and leaves will remain. The roots must not stand in the water, otherwise they will rot.