How To Care For A Bat Flower, Which Is Sure To Add A Touch Of Mystery To Your Garden
With dark, velvety bracts that resemble bat wings and whisker-like filaments, the black bat flower is an exotic plant that adds a touch of mystery to any garden.
Native to forests in Asia and Australia, this unique understory variety, sometimes called tiger beard or cat’s whiskers, can be somewhat challenging to grow.
Nonetheless, the extra effort is well worth it since you’ll be rewarded with mesmerizing dark purple to black-looking blooms that infuse your outdoor space with a ton of visual intrigue.
Here’s how to care for the black bat flower and help it thrive in your garden.
Black Bat Flower Care
First, while this dramatic flower might seem like the perfect decor piece for your den or dining room, it’s important to note that it doesn’t survive very long in vases or as a cut flower.
Given their semi-tropical background, black bat flowers also enjoy warm, humid conditions, ideally between 70°F and 80°F, and will die if temperatures drop below 50°F.
So, even though they can be grown indoors, they’ll require consistently moist conditions. A humidifier or plant mister can be your best friend when trying to keep humidity levels up.
Otherwise, it can do well outside in certain parts of the United States, including Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, and some regions of California, as long as the climate is warm and humid. It’s considered hardy in USDA zones 10 through 12.
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This variety prefers nutrient-rich soil that drains well, and to improve drainage, you may need to mix in some organic materials, such as peat moss, compost, and pine bark.
Or, if you’re planting black bat flowers in a container, use a potting mix made up of 50% soil with 40% organic matter and 10% perlite to prevent the roots from becoming water-logged.
Regular feeding is recommended, too, and liquid orchid fertilizer works well when applied weekly. Conversely, you can always use a slow-release fertilizer.
Now, despite the black bat flower needing warm temperatures, it actually thrives in shaded areas. You should place your plant in indirect light, like the north side of your home, or with other tropical understory plants for added protection. If you’re growing it inside, put it near a window with indirect sunlight.
Once you’ve chosen the right location, keep in mind that the soil must be kept evenly moist. At the same time, good drainage is crucial since overly wet soil can result in root rot.
The black bat flower can reach a mature size of 36 inches tall and 12 inches wide. Thankfully, it’s also not very susceptible to pests, aside from snails and slugs that are generally found in tropical gardens.
So, with a bit of TLC and attention to detail, you can cultivate a beautiful addition to your garden that’s sure to spark some conversation.
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