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Tacca chantrieri Green Isle seeds

Tacca chantrieri Green Isle
Black bat flower, Bat head lily, Devil flower, Cat's Whiskers.

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I have received my seeds, I am happy about it because it explains how to make them germinate.

Marie lisr D., 07/08/2017

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This rare form of the Bat flower produces large, strange and fascinating inflorescences in shades of green and light brown. It unfurls its large bracts around a cluster of dark flowers, accompanied by long trailing green filaments. This inflorescence is carried by a stem emerging from a basal cluster of elongated, elegant, shiny green foliage. Native to tropical regions of Asia, this tender plant should be grown in a warm and humid greenhouse, in a bright location, but without direct sunlight.
Flower size
15 cm
Height at maturity
75 cm
Exposure
Partial shade
Annual / Perennial
Annual
Germination time (days)
120 days
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Sowing period January to December
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Flowering time June to August
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Description

This rare form of Bat Flower, known as Tacca chantrieri 'Green Isle', produces large, strange and fascinating inflorescences, in shades of green and light brown. It unfolds its large bracts like wings around a cluster of dark flowers, accompanied by long green filaments trailing in graceful fringe. This inflorescence is carried by a stem emerging from a basal tuft of elongated, elegant, bright green leaves. Native to tropical regions of Asia, this frost-tender plant is reserved for experienced or curious gardeners, and should be grown in a warm and humid greenhouse, in a bright location but without direct sunlight.

 

Tacca chantrieri belongs to the Taccaceae family, consisting of the single genus Tacca. It is a rhizomatous perennial species indigenous to Thailand, Myanmar (Burma) and nearby regions of China, naturalized and cultivated in many tropical Asian regions. In the wild, it is found growing in forests, valleys, alongside rivers, from 200m (656ft) to 1300m altitude, on acidic and humus-rich soil. Under good cultivation conditions, it reaches a height of 75 to 90cm (30 to 35in) when flowering, with foliage reaching 40 to 50cm (16 to 20in). The 'Green Isle' variety is a rare form of this plant, with an unusual colour combining green and light brown.

The plant develops from thick rhizomes. It forms a clump of basal leaves, borne on petioles 10 to 30cm (4 to 12in) long, with oblong and entire lamina measuring 20 to 50cm (8 to 20in) (sometimes 60cm (24in)) in length and 7cm (3in) in width. The leaves resemble those of Spathiphyllums. They are glabrous or pubescent, cuneiform, pointed at their tips. The foliage is bright green and shiny, with visible veins. In our climates, flowering occurs from June to August, and sporadically until December. Only plants aged 2 or 3 years produce inflorescences. This "bat flower" owes its name to its very distinctive inflorescence, which resembles the small mammal both in shape and in its very dark colour. The flowers are brown, quite light, consisting of 5 petals, grouped in clusters (up to 25 flowers) in the centre of four bracts, two of which, in the outer position, are particularly developed. They are tinted green and veined with light brown. Each flower pedicel produces long trailing green filaments, 25cm (10in) long, forming a shooting star tail. The fruits are berries that contain numerous small kidney-shaped seeds.

 

The bat flower is a plant for experienced gardeners, a curiosity to be admired up close, protected from cold and scorching sun, in a heated greenhouse or conservatory, without direct sunlight. It is adorned with beautiful foliage and offers one of the most interesting flowers among plants. As such, it can only inspire fascination and interest in those who contemplate it. However, it can sometimes be capricious and demanding in terms of cultivation conditions. When it is happy, this plant grows, flowers abundantly, and even produces offsets. When something is lacking, it slowly weakens and eventually disappears. Unfortunately, the only way to know if you can provide good cultivation conditions is to try. Keep in mind that this plant originates from hot and humid tropical areas of Asia, and experiences some dryness during its resting period in winter in our latitudes.

 

Flowering

Flower colour green
Flowering time June to August
Flower size 15 cm
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour green

Plant habit

Height at maturity 75 cm
Spread at maturity 30 cm
Growth rate normal

Botanical data

Genus

Tacca

Species

chantrieri

Cultivar

Green Isle

Family

Taccaceae

Other common names

Black bat flower, Bat head lily, Devil flower, Cat's Whiskers.

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference13791

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Planting and care

Sow the Tacca seeds as soon as you receive them.

Soak the Tacca chantrieri seeds for 24 hours in warm water. Use a thermos bottle to keep the water warm during this time. Sow at a depth of 1.5mm in trays, pots, etc. using a good moist special seed mix, which you will place in a propagator or a warm place to maintain an optimal temperature of 27-30°C (80.6-86°F). It is essential that the soil temperature is warm and constant. You can use containers equipped with clear plastic domes (such as microwave type), or a sealed plastic bag and place the pots or trays on a heated pad to warm the bottom of the containers. Germination usually takes 1 to 9 months, so be patient, do not throw away your seeds thinking they will not germinate.

 

Transplant the seedlings, when they are large enough to handle, into 7.5cm (3in) pots in a well-draining mix, preferably peaty or peaty-rich compost. During the growing season (from spring to late summer), the plants will need to be watered very regularly and the substrate should be well-drained and regularly enriched with ericaceous plant fertilizer. Repot into a 10cm (4in) pot and then into a 20cm (8in) pot. Give very little water in winter and keep the plants at a temperature of 15-18°C (59-64.4°F) in winter and 25-29°C (77-84.2°F) during summer.

These plants require a peaty soil, bright shade, and a humid atmosphere.

To understand the optimal growing conditions for the Bat Flower, it can be useful to know the climate of its country of origin:

Myanmar has three seasons. A temperate season from October to February with an average temperature ranging between 20 and 24 degrees (68 and 75.2°F), a hot season from March to May with temperatures ranging from 30 to 35 degrees (86 to 95°F), and finally a rainy season from June to September with temperatures between 25 and 30 degrees (77 and 86°F).

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Sowing period

Sowing period January to December
Germination time (days) 120 days

Intended location

Suitable for Undergrowth
Type of use Container, Conservatory
Ease of cultivation Experienced
Exposure Partial shade
Soil pH Acidic, Neutral
Soil moisture Moist soil, Damp soil, Draining, peaty, humus-bearing
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