Batflower
Tacca leontopetaloides
- Native to:
- Andaman Is., Angola, Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Burkina, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Caroline Is., Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cook Is., DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Gilbert Is., Guam, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Ivory Coast, Jawa, Kenya, Laccadive Is., Laos, Lesser Sunda Is., Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Maldives, Mali, Maluku, Marianas, Marquesas, Marshall Is., Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Nicobar Is., Niger, Nigeria, Palau, Philippines, Pitcairn Is., Samoa, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Society Is., Solomon Is., Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Sulawesi, Sumatera, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau-Manihiki, Tonga, Tuamotu, Tubuai Is., Uganda, United States, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis-Futuna Is., Zambia, Zimbabwe
Steve Fitzgerald
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Dioscoreaceae
- Genus:
- Tacca
- Species:
- Tacca leontopetaloides
- USDA Symbol:
- TALE2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- green, purple, brown
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- thrives in tropical and subtropical regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 30–180 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate erratically over several months. Warm, humid conditions and fresh seed improve germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI