— Tacca (or Bat Flower) rhizomes are tender, tropical and must be protected from frost. They need warm, indoor conditions to sprout.

— Plant the rhizome indoors in spring, to give it the consistent warmth it needs to come out of dormancy – between 20-25C is necessary.

— Tacca nivea rhizomes are thick and greenish-yellow in appearance. Soak the Tacca rhizome in water for 2-3 hours before planting. Tacca black rhizomes are purplish-brown, long and thin – they may be curved, and may look slightly shrivelled.

— Plant Tacca nivea rhizome upright in a pot with the remnants of the previous season’s foliage and about 1cm of the rhizome itself exposed above the soil surface. Plant the Tacca black rhizome diagonally in a pot at an angle of 45 degrees, with the remnants of the previous season’s foliage and about 1cm of the rhizome itself exposed above the soil surface.

— Tacca thrive in acid soil and good drainage is essential. Plant in ericaceous compost with plenty of added perlite or orchid compost. We recommend a 50/50 mix of ericaceous compost and orchid compost.

— Water well after planting and allow the water to drain through the pot. Keep well-watered throughout the season, not allowing the compost to dry out or become waterlogged at any point.

— Tacca can take around 12 weeks after planting to produce leaves. The warmer the conditions the quicker they will sprout. Once leaves appear, keep the pot out of direct sunlight – a north or east facing window is ideal.

— Bat flower plants require high humidity so keep the pot away from dry air produced by heating sources – position the pot in a humid part of the house, or spray the plant regularly with a fine mist of water.

— Grow as a houseplant, or move the pot outside to a sheltered, shaded spot when the leaves have sprouted - after all risk of frost has passed in your area and when summer temperatures are consistently warm.

— Your Tacca will need to be moved back inside in autumn and kept in a warm, bright location for winter.