Hi, I killed a couple of black bat plants before I found the trick to it. I have mine inside the porch, gets bright indirect sun, I placed the pot inside a large saucer that I fill with water every 2-3 days. It loves being moist. It has flowered for me non stop for the last month. I am now on the lookout for the white bat plant.

Sylvia

After killing one white bat, I grew started some from seed this February, and they're still alive. No shock from being moved from a greenhouse into my home. I agree that they like indirect light, moist conditions.

Sylvia, let me know if you would like one of my seedlings.

Karen, youve got mail.

Sylvia :D

Sylvia, Glad the seedling got there OK.

As you can see, it needs repotting. It's still in a heavily sphaghnum mixture. What kind of mix do you use for yours?

Would appreciate your advice.

Thanks, Karen

I've got the same trouble with mine. No good. It's still alive though. It's in the ground. Looking at your ideas maybe I should dig it up and put it on the verandah in a pot. Would be interested in what mix you use too? [mines the black one].
Thanks, Regards Lea

We've got three different species and they are thriving, but haven't flowered yet.

Hi there. I'm new and I just became very interested in caring for plants. I recently purchased the black bat seeds, and I'm terrified that I'll kill them. Can someone tell me a little about the best way to germinate the seeds? Also, do these do well indoors? --THANKS!--

Good air circulation and shade. They don't like too much dry heat and air...keep them evenly moist all the time..they don't like to be rootbound. It may not be a bad idea to repot it every year in the spring. When you reach a 10" pot or larger you can wash the soil, cut most of the roots off and remove most of the leaves. Remove the babies and repot in the same size pot with fresh soil.

The soil is most important.The mixture needs to be light, very porous, something that drains well.
Use something like:
60% peat moss
30% perlite
10% vermiculite
The soil should be a little bit acid, I use my azalea fertlizer occasionally as a fertilizer

both white and black are equally temperamental!!
if you get them established,and they are happy,then half the battle is won!
here in s cal,i have 2,which survive 40s in winter,but we never get that burst of summer heat/humidity.
so,they grow fine,but SO slow,so who knows if they will ever reflower?!
but they still look fine and healthy.
these really are plants for experienced growers,out of the tropical belts[or sub tropical areas]
but when happy,they are easy!
you just have to find that "happy place"lol

I grow both white and black in the greenhouse, planted directly into the ground. Temp ranges in the GH are about 54/55 night time winter (65/75 nighttime summer) and 75-95 daytime year round. The air is constantly moving in there, I have 4 attic fans that run 24/7. 4 others that run on demand, and 2-36" exhaust fans that run on demand. The black bats are planted as understory to my large Bucky Heliconia stand. They get what I would call "bright shade". I started with 3 plants and the stand has multiplied to 7 in one year.

The white bats are planted in a much brighter location, right next to the wall on the Northeast exposure. They aren't shaded at all and get some full sun dailyin the morning. They bloom regularly, and one plant has generated 4 seedlings over the last year that I have sold. Currently mama has 3 seedlings. Here is a photo of my white one that was taken in late September
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Wow, Bihai, what a gorgeous plant! Something for me to aspire to--growing such a magnificent specimen of such a difficult to grow plant.

What's your soil like? I'm growing indoors in containers. Mine need repotting up, but I don't know what kind of mix to use. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Surprised that yours likes so much light. Mine seem to burn easily in direct sun.

I was able to germinate the seeds easily enough, but growing them is something else.

Kamicryze, Here's how I germinated my Tacca integrifolia seeds:

*****

H2O2/Bleach for Seeds
(from www.sleepyoaks.com)

Sometimes I add a cup of common drug-store hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to a gallon of water, if the plant receiving it is in a situation where it should have more light. This usually happens when there is a hard freeze warning and the plants all come inside. When a plant is in a dark place, it is likely to absorb oxygen to sustain itself. The extra oxygen molecules in the hydrogen peroxide give the plants this extra little boost. Don't overdo it. Another thing I have found H2O2 to be good for is the following:
Oxygen kills fungus. If there is the suspicion that there may be a fungal problem in the soil, try watering with the same 1 cup to a gallon of water solution.
Oxygen encourages rooting: Try the same solution for putting a "difficult to root" cutting to soak in for up to 3 days before potting it as you normally would. I have had very good results with this for rooting conifer cuttings.
Try the same solution with the addition of 1/4th cup bleach per gallon of water for a soak for seeds to be planted the next day. The oxygen makes the first root shoot out of that seed big and strong, and the bleach acts as a fungicide, killing any fungal spores on the seed. Likewise, the same mixture can be used for the first watering of the seedbed. Do not do this again as the chlorine levels may build up in the seed-mix and cause death to the whole bed.

*****

My seeds germinated in record time--only three and a half weeks. The seedlings look OK, but are just not doing much. How slowly do these things grow anyway?

Good luck to all of us!
KarenMN

Karen,
my plants are planted into the ground in plain old, unadulterated, unamended Florida sand. Basically nutrientless except for whatever natural bits of organic matter there are in it from leaves, etc. I don't grow anything from seed. I just don't have the time or patience to deal with seeds. I the Tacca you see above as a small seedling in a 2 inch pot about 2 years ago for $7.50 at a local plant sale. I repotted it into a larger pot as it grew then just planted it in the greenhouse, and it has done well. But I wholeheartedly wish you luck with your seedlings! Having never done seeds I am not certain what to tell you. Maybe you should step your seedlings out into more light. Mine seems to prefer a lot of light, and the Taccas I have seen in Miami at various places, like Fairchild Gardens, are all planted out in a lot of bright light.

if anyone is willing to sell a seedling i would be glad to buy one name ur price and could someone tell me more about propagating seedling it really confusing for me thanks, mike