Black Bat Plant

Collection from the Coogee greenhouse — not available for postage. Contact us before ordering to discuss local delivery.

Tacca chantrieri, commonly known as the Black Bat Plant, is one of the most unusual tropical flowering plants you can grow. Its large dark bracts surround clusters of flowers, while long, fine whisker-like appendages hang beneath, creating the distinctive bat-like form that gives the plant its name.

The foliage is impressive in its own right, forming a lush clump of large, deep green leaves from an underground rhizome. When the flower stems rise above the foliage, the contrast between the dark blooms and broad tropical leaves makes the plant particularly striking.

What I like about the Black Bat Plant is that it doesn’t really resemble anything else in a typical indoor plant collection. The flowers are dramatic without relying on bright colour, and an established plant has a very strong tropical presence even when it isn’t in bloom.

Light: Bright filtered light or partial shade; protect from harsh direct sunlight
Water: Keep the growing mix evenly moist but well drained; do not allow it to remain waterlogged
Humidity: Appreciates high humidity, warmth and protection from dry draughts
Growth Habit: Rhizomatous tropical perennial forming a leafy clump, reaching approximately 0.5–1 metre tall and wide at maturity

Common names: Black Bat Plant, Bat Flower, Black Bat Flower, Devil Flower, Cat’s Whiskers, Tacca chantrieri.

Each plant is unique and may vary slightly in size, maturity, foliage and flowering stage.