Tacca - Bat plant

The Taccas, better known as Bat Plants or Bat Flowers, make up a genus of perennial plants with tuberous rhizomes that produce strange and unusual flowers, often black, white, or sometimes green.

The most well-known is Tacca chantrieri, beloved by enthusiasts of botanical curiosities, although other species such as Tacca integrifolia are starting to be cultivated as well. These strange flowers get their common name from the appearance of their inflorescence, with dark purple, green, or even almost white bracts that spread out like the wings of a bat in flight, revealing under their 'wings' a cluster of small flowers accompanied by gracefully trailing long filaments. The foliage, elegant and bright green, forms a basal tuft measuring 50cm (20in) to 1m (3ft) in height depending on the species and varieties.

Native to Asian rainforests, Tacca plants require delicate cultivation. They must be grown in a warm and consistently humid greenhouse, in a bright location but without direct sunlight. A challenge for enthusiasts of unique plants! Also discover our range of rare and original bulbs.