Bat flower (Tacca chantrieri)
Care, watering, light and tips for Bat flower on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Dioscoreaceae
- Difficulty: Demanding
- Watering: every 3 days
- Light: Partial shade
- Temperature: 10–30 °C
- Toxicity: Toxic to pets
About Bat flower
Tacca chantrieri, also known as the 'Black Bat Flower', is an exotic tropical plant from the Dioscoreaceae family, renowned for its unusual and dramatic dark purple to almost black floral bracts resembling a bat in flight. Its long, thread-like 'whiskers' (bracteoles) add to its peculiar charm. It is an ideal plant for large terrariums, greenhouses, or as a focal point in well-lit indoor spaces with high humidity.
Native range
Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, southern China, and northeastern India)
Care tips
It requires bright, indirect light; avoid direct sunlight which can scorch its leaves. Keep the substrate consistently moist, but not waterlogged, and ensure high ambient humidity (ideally above 60%). Use a well-draining, organically rich potting mix. A common mistake to avoid is overwatering and waterlogging, which can lead to root rot, or insufficient ambient humidity, causing brown leaf tips.
How to save a dying Bat flower
- Warning signs
- Yellow or brown, wilting leaves; flowers not opening or rotting. Black spots may appear.
- First aid
- Check substrate moisture. Ensure high ambient humidity (pebble tray). Remove damaged leaves.
- What kills it
- Lack of constant ambient humidity and dry substrate; also cold and excessive direct light.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if you act quickly. It's delicate, but responds well to environmental and watering corrections.