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Anybody grow Bat Plants?
- Thread starter ilbasso
- Start date
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- greenhouse grow humidity
Fryster
--Freedom Czar--
Clint
Stay chooned in for more!
No, but I've seen HUGE flowering ones at wal mart that I've always wanted. If I only had a greenhouse....
Fryster: http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/pix/m/seeds/7/7338.jpg
http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/tacca_integrifolia.jpg
Fryster: http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/pix/m/seeds/7/7338.jpg
http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/tacca_integrifolia.jpg
Fryster
--Freedom Czar--
MrFlyTrap2
OMG h8 pings
Just bought some of these seeds and did some research into the matter. This is what I have found out.
Also called "Cats Whiskers", "Jews Beard", "Voodoo Flower", and a host of other politically wrong wordings in the past
Flowers: 2-3 years from seed
Height: 36 inches
Position: Partial Shade
Hardiness Rating: 10
Germination: Challenging
Aftercare: Particular Care Required
It grows to about 2ft. in height with flowers complete with filaments or whiskers 12in. long forming a flowing forked tail.
Tacca chantrieri is grown in shade with filtered light and perfect wind protection. Use a rich organic soil mix with good drainage. Bat Plant could be a houseplant with high humidity
Sowing Instructions: Sow immediately in trays, pots, etc of good seed compost in a propagator or warm place to maintain an optimum temperature of 27-29C (80-85F). It is essential that the soil temperature is high and kept steady.
Sow 1.5mm (1/16in) deep in good moist seed compost and seal the container inside a polythene bag after sowing. Germination usually takes 1-9 months.
Growing Instructions: Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into 7.5cm (3in) pots of a good free draining compost, preferably a peat or peat substitute compost with 10% added grit.
Aftercare Instructions: During the growing season (late spring to late summer) the plants will need to be watered very regularly and the compost must be well drained. Pot on as required into 13cm (5in) and finally 20cm (8in) pots. Give very little water through the winter and provide a temperature of 15-18C (60-65F) through the winter and 25-29C (75-85F) through the summer. Re-pot in February/March, shade from strong sun and give the occasional mist spray through the summer.
For the sake of the plant, you should actually remove <cleanly cut> the bloom from the plant~ if it is showing one~
So that the plant does not put its energy into keeping A bloom alive or making seed~
And instead the plant can put its energy into re-establishing its own self.
A mature plant @ 10 years may have a spread of 4 feet. Medium to low light , but never full direct sun. Allow the soil dry between watering times during the winter, keep it more moist during warm weather-78 or above- and humid all the time, without very much air circulation (dislikes drafts and wind-the leaves get burned edges). If you do not have a greenhouse it may be to your advantage to at least make a little one to keep the humidity up around this plant in the Winter if you bring it indoors. Another method of raising the humidity around tropicals is to place them on a large (restaurant) baking pan which has been filled with an inch of gravel which is kept filled with water. If this setup is on top of a heating mat (thermostatically controlled, about 85 degrees F.) so much the better. The humidity will rise up around the plant constantly.
THE BIG NO-NO
Misting.
Misting a Tacca which is in a dry-air environment is an express ticket on the Death Express. What happens is the pores of the leaf surfaces are opened up, and the mist quickly dries up. While the plants pores are opened, and the leaves lose more moisture through their pores in the dry environment. After this process is repeated a few times, the leaves develop large yellow splotches and holes begin to form in the leaves, then the leaf edges turn brown and crisp. Soon one has a leafless plant which can no longer process sunlight into food for the roots for the rest of the winter months. Soon after, the remainder of the plant turns into a mass of blue fur, which runs to spores, and all is done.
Bat Flowers do not adapt to how 'you' want it to grow. The problem with this whole scenario is that the Tacca is in a dry air environment, a place it shouldn't be in the first place. If you don't have a place that is always humid with slowly to non-moving air, this is specifically what Tacca requires. it is not like a peace lily; Tacca will NOT adapt to you. It is not particularly demanding once it is given everything it needs to succeed, humidity and protection from strong winds. You must provide Bat Flowers with what they require.
Hope this helps.
Wish me luck!
Also called "Cats Whiskers", "Jews Beard", "Voodoo Flower", and a host of other politically wrong wordings in the past
Flowers: 2-3 years from seed
Height: 36 inches
Position: Partial Shade
Hardiness Rating: 10
Germination: Challenging
Aftercare: Particular Care Required
It grows to about 2ft. in height with flowers complete with filaments or whiskers 12in. long forming a flowing forked tail.
Tacca chantrieri is grown in shade with filtered light and perfect wind protection. Use a rich organic soil mix with good drainage. Bat Plant could be a houseplant with high humidity
Sowing Instructions: Sow immediately in trays, pots, etc of good seed compost in a propagator or warm place to maintain an optimum temperature of 27-29C (80-85F). It is essential that the soil temperature is high and kept steady.
Sow 1.5mm (1/16in) deep in good moist seed compost and seal the container inside a polythene bag after sowing. Germination usually takes 1-9 months.
Growing Instructions: Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into 7.5cm (3in) pots of a good free draining compost, preferably a peat or peat substitute compost with 10% added grit.
Aftercare Instructions: During the growing season (late spring to late summer) the plants will need to be watered very regularly and the compost must be well drained. Pot on as required into 13cm (5in) and finally 20cm (8in) pots. Give very little water through the winter and provide a temperature of 15-18C (60-65F) through the winter and 25-29C (75-85F) through the summer. Re-pot in February/March, shade from strong sun and give the occasional mist spray through the summer.
For the sake of the plant, you should actually remove <cleanly cut> the bloom from the plant~ if it is showing one~
So that the plant does not put its energy into keeping A bloom alive or making seed~
And instead the plant can put its energy into re-establishing its own self.
A mature plant @ 10 years may have a spread of 4 feet. Medium to low light , but never full direct sun. Allow the soil dry between watering times during the winter, keep it more moist during warm weather-78 or above- and humid all the time, without very much air circulation (dislikes drafts and wind-the leaves get burned edges). If you do not have a greenhouse it may be to your advantage to at least make a little one to keep the humidity up around this plant in the Winter if you bring it indoors. Another method of raising the humidity around tropicals is to place them on a large (restaurant) baking pan which has been filled with an inch of gravel which is kept filled with water. If this setup is on top of a heating mat (thermostatically controlled, about 85 degrees F.) so much the better. The humidity will rise up around the plant constantly.
THE BIG NO-NO
Misting.
Misting a Tacca which is in a dry-air environment is an express ticket on the Death Express. What happens is the pores of the leaf surfaces are opened up, and the mist quickly dries up. While the plants pores are opened, and the leaves lose more moisture through their pores in the dry environment. After this process is repeated a few times, the leaves develop large yellow splotches and holes begin to form in the leaves, then the leaf edges turn brown and crisp. Soon one has a leafless plant which can no longer process sunlight into food for the roots for the rest of the winter months. Soon after, the remainder of the plant turns into a mass of blue fur, which runs to spores, and all is done.
Bat Flowers do not adapt to how 'you' want it to grow. The problem with this whole scenario is that the Tacca is in a dry air environment, a place it shouldn't be in the first place. If you don't have a place that is always humid with slowly to non-moving air, this is specifically what Tacca requires. it is not like a peace lily; Tacca will NOT adapt to you. It is not particularly demanding once it is given everything it needs to succeed, humidity and protection from strong winds. You must provide Bat Flowers with what they require.
Hope this helps.
Wish me luck!
Good luck with those seeds! I bought an established plant and placed it in the 4 tier "greenhouse" at the east window. I repotted it in some sort of mixture...can't remember what. Mostly I think it was what came out of pots that housed nepenthes that were repotted or moved to the greenhouse in the sky.
I find it very odd that your source talks about dry air environments and lots of humidity. Isn't that a contradiction??
We'll see if this thing goes anywhere or not. So far it hasn't died and from what I hear that is reason enough to celebrate, although I haven't had it for long. I soaked the dirt upon repotting and it is still moist so I haven't messed with it since.
Best of luck to you. That germination window is crazy!
I find it very odd that your source talks about dry air environments and lots of humidity. Isn't that a contradiction??
We'll see if this thing goes anywhere or not. So far it hasn't died and from what I hear that is reason enough to celebrate, although I haven't had it for long. I soaked the dirt upon repotting and it is still moist so I haven't messed with it since.
Best of luck to you. That germination window is crazy!
Clint
Stay chooned in for more!
My bat plants grow in my outdoor nepenthes nursery i have here in Australia.I have mine in about 50% shade with high humidity.They are an understory plant that like to be moist but not overwatered which causes them to rot.In my conditions here in the tropics they will flower just before the wet season.Good luck with growing them.Hope they do very well for you.
