Tacca chantrieri

I am going to follow this as it flowers it is quite magical! Is it an annual or do you over winter it?

Wow! That is stunning Meanie.

Drc - this is turning into a bit of an epic!
I would guess that the plant is three years old minimum. I bought it in April out of bloom - it was half price and still cost fifteen quid! "Very expensive garden centre" up the road wanted £50 for one with one stem - mine now has two stems! It basically lives in the conservatory as it prefers shade (I have the filtered roof) and humidity. Come the winter I'll just give it the minimum of water before a re-pot in the spring.
I've been trying to grow one from seed for years with no luck. From what I've discovered the seed needs to be fresh, so my thinking is that I'll hopefully get viable seed from this.

Thank you Lil! This is my (rather large) baby!

Wow!!!Its not Scary anymore Meanie.....A beautiful specimen....congratulations...:>)

Thanks Meanie

oh wowwww!! its opening its dark wings ~ has the dark lord got into your conservatory??

isnt it incredible, it looks like a huge mouth with its tongue hanging out!!! [but actually far more beautiful than that!]

They are just such an amazing bloom!

how unusual.... its great

Thank you ladies!
The first of the flowers is open this morning! Will take a photo later Sticki.

that is just excellent..

Surreylad - this article about pollination makes interesting reading..............

http://www.amjbot.org/content/92/3/517.short

Beautiful

Beautifully weird!

that really is interesting, let us know with yours if it self pollinates as it's in the conservatory it shouldn't get many pollinators.. amazing that it might even set before the flowers are out..

Lol weird cat with wiskers hehe.

I've just added a photo of the flower showing what appears to be a lack of pollen SL..............

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/218500-tacca-flower/member/meanie

I think that I may have used the pun before 6d, but it is the bats whiskers!!!

It certainly is!

New photo tomorrow Sticki - the flowers are opening up and it continues to get darker!

Oooooh fab! Really looking forward to that - I think 2011 must be the year of the bat!

Have I said that it has four babies too!

Quads??!

That's fantastic - it must like growing at your place!

I just talk nicely to it!!

aha so thats the secret ~ would that be in squeaks and echoes like a bat?

That's incredible! These plants are generally pretty tropical and require a lot of heat....it loves your climate!

It can hit 40 Celsius in my conservatory during the day - just add humidity and shade and this is the result! Nowt to do with our climate, which has failed my Erythrina miserably this year!

Can we book holidays in your conservatory meanie?

Now that's a thought..........

Meanie:

I thought you were growing this plant outside in your garden.

Hope your Erythrina crista-gallii will recover!

I may try one outdoors next year...............

With the bonus of guided tours around Oxford?

Nah, just the better restaurants of the Cowley Rd!

That's very worthwhile! I like food!

Take your pick - chinese, indian, bangladeshi, carribean, polish, italian, a pukka burger restaurant, the list goes on!

what a great road ~ i should have gone yesterday ~ came past oxford but wasnt feeling hungry.
taste of each would be good ~ is there such a thing as a restaurant crawl??

Could be fun trying!

and then no food for the next month?
alternatively everyone could get a take away from a different restaurant and then we put them all together ~ with a big spoon each.

Could be an idea for a charity stunt!!

probably not weight watchers then!!
great idea tho! i would join in!

btw ~ what is that little white flower behind the bat flower?

Sollya heterophylla - AKA the Bluebell Creeper...............

http://www.growsonyou.com/garden/show_garden_item/24011-bluebell-creeper

it looks lovely, thanks meanie
how difficult is it to grow?

Absolute doddle Sticki! Needs winter protection though.
New photos of the "dark beauty" added.

ah, excellent thats what i was waiting for!! thank you