This plant was labelled at Tacca chantrieri. Any other chantrieri I have had have had black whiskers.
I was rather stunned when it emerged with white whiskers - is it really chantrieri, or do I have something else?
Many thanks
Pam
Tacca id please?
Might just be the lighting but it looks like a couple of the ones pictured in Plant Files have whitish whiskers too http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/15617/
Thanks for your reply ecrane3. I really don't care whether it is T chantrieri or not, though I suspect by the shape that it may well be. I'm really excited that it has opened different to what I was expecting. :)
I do not believe that you have Tacca chantereii. That has a definite WHITE set of petals.
I think that you have one of the more rare Tacca...either one of the green hybrids or the species that starts with an "L"...leonti... the spelling escapes me.
There are a lot more taccas than just the black and the white (chanterii and integrifolia). There are some hybrids out there and at least 2 green species, which is what I think you have. It may be Tacca 'Green Isle'
Thanks for that Gothqueen. The suggestion was also made elsewhere that it may be Green Isle. It's certainly a far more spectacular plant than the regular 'black' bat plant.
I think the' L' word you were referring to may be Leontopetaloides? I have the Northern Australian variety, perhaps not as tall as some of the others. It's yet to flower for me though.
I have Green Isle but it has not flowered yet. It should this summer though, we can compare photos
I just found this thread and I have a question if you don't mind. I recently ordered 2 of the Batflower T. chantereii. Are they difficult? I realize being in WI I will need to bring it in and winter it indoors but it is such an unusual flower I have to try.
Anything I should know about this plant?
Cece
I think that there are a lot of misconceptions about them and their degree of difficulty. I have absolutely no problems with mine, BUT, they are planted in the ground inside a greenhouse where the temps and humidity are good year round. I have trialed both types outdoors and they survived and stayed green and even bloomed in temps as low as 28-29F. Once it went to 20F they froze back. I think that they are only dormant, there is still greem at the base below the fried leaves and now that its warm I think they are going to come back.
Thanks Gothqueen.
As far as planting in the ground I think not. Only if I want to treat it as an annual we get -20 weather around here whether we want it or not. I will summer it outdoors and bring it in to the sun room at least for the winter. If it can take and bloom in temps as low as 28-29° it should do okay. I do heat it during the winter (much to DH's dismay) but the temps rarily get above 45° at night and during the day when the sun is shining its like 80-85° out there.
What about sun exposure and watering needs? I know I could probably google it but I'd rather info come from someone who has has experience with a certain plant.
If you leave them in an environment where the temps are ROUTINELY below 45 for a long while they will probably go dormant. We have temps that bounce all over here in winter so they seem to do okay until a big freeze.
I planted mine outdoors at the bases of trees in dappled light. In the greenhouse they get "full sun" which in there is probably about 85% light transmission thru the glazing. Water, I water daily. For container culture, though, you would not want to do that
I bought some 12" self-watering containers on sale last week, maybe I'll just put them in one of those then put them on the shadier end of my container garden which will get dappled shade. That sounds about right, hey?
Do NOT have any water in the self watering reservoir over Winter or you're guaranteed to lose your plants. They require extremely limited water during Winter.
Yeh I think that would be a bad idea
I water very seldom during the winter any of my plants. Once every 6 weeks and they've all survived for me. I'm thinking that winters a ways away now but thanks for the info. I really want to make this work and have had pretty good luck so far. I'm a worry wart for absolutely everything, which is why I question everything time and time again.
Thank you everybody for your input. It is appreciated more than you realize.