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It’s commonly called Bat Orchid, but it doesn’t belong to the orchid family. It has some other popular nicknames like Devil’s Tongue or Cat’s Whiskers.
The Tacca belongs to the Taccaceae family, that has 10 species very similar between them, including the Tacca chantrieri species. They are native to Bangladesh, India, Burma, South China, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand.
This is a tropical and perennial plant, that grows from a cylindrical thick rhizome. It grows big, reaching 40″ in height and it’s big leaves will display in a very open fashion, covering a very large diametrical space.
It produces one very short stalk from where the leaves and long flower spikes will grow. Leaves can be as long as 16″, very flamboyant. They are solid green in the surface with a paler green on the underside.
The flowers superficially resemble a bat in flight with long whiskers, and can grow up to 10 inches long. Taccas can be picky about their environmental conditions; however they grow fast and flower a lot when the conditions are just right. The Bat Plant should be planted in partial shade and in a humid and warm environment. If the leaves start to brown on the edges, it’s an indicator of lack of water and relative humidity.
Soil should remain consistently moist and have good ventilation; this means, it should pack lightly. You can always add sand LECA or perlite to the soil to provide ventilation to the roots. Avoid allowing the plant to dry out between waterings. They are heavy feeders, so the soil should be rich in minerals and it should be regularly fertilized.
In winter months, when temperatures drop to 40F or lower, the Bat Plant should be moved indoors, or into a greenhouse to protect it from cold damage, and the waterings should be spaced to only once a month. They have a rest period during this time that makes them look as if they were dying. Be patient, after the cold months it will start to grow new leaves.
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