Worth knowing:
The perennial Black Bat Flower, also known as Devil or Demon Flower, is truly a bizarre plant. The 70 cm big plant produces brownish-purple coloured spathaceous bracts with up to 40 cm long beard hairs that make it look like a bat. The blossoms are seated on long stalks in the middle of the bracts. Every plant can grow up to three odourless flowers that bloom for a couple of weeks.
Natural Location:
The Black Bat Flower has its natural habitat in the tropical and subtropical regions of South East Asia, where it grows in forests, valleys and along riverbeds in heights of 200 to 1300 meters above sea level.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. Spread the seeds onto moist potting compost and put just a little bit of compost earth on top. Then, cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature around 25° Celsius and keep the earth moist, but not wet. Depending on the propagation temperature, the first seedlings will come up after four to six weeks.
Place:
Even though the Black Bat Flower is a tropical plant, it prefers to be kept in a half-shaded place without draught, but at warmer temperatures since its natural habitat is the rainforest. During summer it can also be kept outdoors in a wind-protected and half-shaded spot. Initially the plant grows rather slow.
Care:
For cultivating a Black Bat Flower you can use ordinary flower soil mixed with some peat or garden mould for a better water storage. Don’t plant too deep, a small part of the root should always remain above ground. The Black Bat Flower grows at all temperatures above 17° Celsius. Since it is used to high humidity in its natural habitat, you should spray the plant regularly with lime-deficient water. The Tacca chantrieri also needs plenty of water. Since your plant is rather sensitive to waterlogging, you should probably create a drainage layer at the bottom of the pot with expanded clay, and avoid excess water standing in the saucer. You may also slightly water the leaf axils to stimulate the flower formation. During the growth period you should also give fertilizer for tub plants every two weeks. After blossoming you may cut the inflorescences. Matured plants can be multiplied through rhizome cuttings in spring.
During the winter:
Your Black Bat Flower needs a temperature of at least 15 ° Celsius for hibernation. Water the plant modestly and prevent the rooting from drying out. In case it is kept too dry, it will still sprout again from the rhizome in spring.
Picture credits:
- © © Paul Fisk - CC-BY-SA-2.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Mike Peel - CC-BY-SA-2.5 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5
- © Jef Poskanzer - CC-BY-2.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
- © Mike Peel - CC-BY-SA-2.5 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5
- © Paul Fisk - CC-BY-SA-2.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
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