My Tacca are blooming

[metalfan]

I have had Tacca integrifolia planted in the yard in several places for about 13 years. They bloom every year. They go dormant if it gets too cold (read: freezes) but they never fail to come back and bloom. I tried the black ones (Tacca chantieri) outside but they didn't go.

[metalfan]

Another one

[tropicbreeze]

I've got this Tacca but have never been able to find chantieri. The one I've got lots of is T. leontopetaloides. Doesn't have the big bracts but it's a native here and comes up all over the place. Don't have it in the garden though. It's deciduous in the dry season and rots if it gets water then, which happens in the garden.

[greysrigging]

The Territory native Tacca's are very common out southern Litchfield Park. Under utilized in the nursery trade I reckon. Not as visually stunning as the Asian species, but then our ones don't produce the grief and heartache that successful cultivation of the exotics entails in suburban Darwin. Some folks have the 'gift'..... I'm not one of 'em ! The white and black Bat plants are the 'Holy Grail' of many Darwin gardeners.

[Cindy Adair]

I love these flowers! Growing them easily is one of the many pleasures of living in the mountains of Puerto Rico.

I positioned this one on a slope to be viewed from above. However they face away from easy viewing and photography is a bit of a challenge. It is not really as close to the variegated vanilla orchid vine as the photo depicts.

I have other smaller ones and the black bat too and plan to move them to flatter areas where climbing is not required.

The flowers last a long time too. 

 

[Gonzer]

22 hours ago, Cindy Adair said:

I love these flowers! Growing them easily is one of the many pleasures of living in the mountains of Puerto Rico.

 

Go ahead Cindy, rub it in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cindy Adair]

Well, for the last week I have had zero hot water plus low water pressure and a leak in my shower that I have been unable to fix myself.  Perhaps the person I contacted last week will come mañana on island time.
 

Perhaps not. 
 

It was pretty darned cold washing my hair, but I reminded myself of the 3 months with zero water after María and 5 months before hot water and the cold shower was great!

So trade offs for my ability to grow Taccas...

[piping plovers]

Great blooms all.  Such exotic beauties.

[Barry]

Nine flowers now, planted in the ground. Doing great

[Cindy Adair]

Barry, that’s the nicest black bat flower I have seen! 

Congratulations! 

I am waiting for my small plants to get larger and bloom.

[Barry]

Cindy

Thank you, I forget at times it is there. Until it is blooming. It has done great in the ground for me.. I need to find a white one and possibly the red one, only seen on website from Taiwan. 
 

[Than]

Reviving an old thread. I am excited because this week two Tacca Integrifolia seeds sprouted (in pots). This coming winter I will keep them indoors as they will be too young but do you think I can leave them outdoors once they are more than a year old? I live in 10a, near the sea, the lowest winter temperatures are about 35 F (1C) on the coldest nights. Average temperatures will be between 42 - 55 F (6 - 13 C). 

[Cindy Adair]

Congratulations ego!
 

Enjoy watching your seedlings grow up and bloom!

This remains one of my favorite flowers.

Mine are still fine after last year’s hurricane. 
 

 

 

[Barry]

On 8/16/2023 at 5:35 AM, Cindy Adair said:

Congratulations ego!
 

Enjoy watching your seedlings grow up and bloom!

This remains one of my favorite flowers.

Mine are still fine after last year’s hurricane. 
 

 

 

Beautiful plant Cindy! I just acquired another white one. Two previous purchases didn’t make it, they were cuttings not yet rooted. The one I just got was a tissue culture, hopefully it will do good?

[Cindy Adair]

Hoping third time’s a charm Barry!

Water, good drainage and shade seems their preference. 

This is one of those plants where I have several scattered around as “back ups”should I lose one due to hurricanes or whatever. 

[Barry]

Thank you Cindy, I probably should have bought two or more. But we were at the caladuim festival, had to buy the featured plants. But we did get some really cool caladuims! 

[Cindy Adair]

Two more blooms on one plant in three weeks and one on another plant. Just a great species.

I should have untangled the “whiskers” before taking this photo.

 

I still don’t have any of my black bats blooming yet.