Taccas have beautiful foliage and one of the most interesting flowers ever seen. The flowers are dark brown or a dark maroon color with long whisker-like filaments resembling a flying bat or cat with long whiskers. They like shade and good air circulation. They don't like too much heat and air that is too dry. We have found that 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 one of the most important things for success with Taccas. The mixture needs to be light, very porous, something that drains well. Use something like:
60% Canadian peat moss
30% perlite or arlite
10% vermiculite
The soil should be a little bit acidic, so use something like a "Miracid" occasionally as a fertilizer.
Taccas are easier to grow outdoors in the shade in places that are frost free. They don't grow well for everyone indoors, the biggest problems are lack of light, lack of air humidity, (caused by heaters or AC) and poor air circulation. In order to keep them in good conditions indoors, you will have to keep the plants away from AC vents and increase the humidity around the plant, sometimes by using a humidity tray. Choose a place near a window, but away from direct sunlight. Don't keep the Taccas too wet, but never let them dry out totally. Fertilize with Dynamite, Osmocote, or with Miracle Grow if you wish. Try to avoid placing the pots in direct contact with the ground for now. There are many soil born diseases that can attack a plant. Place the pots on shelves or even on top of a concrete block.
Check out:
Tacca integrifolia
Tacca (Bat) Flowers are
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