Black Lily

Black lily, bat, cat's whiskers, devil's flower - this is sometimes called this unusual flower because of the presence of "whiskers" - long threads. Tacca (Tacca leontopetaloides) is an evergreen, perennial plant. The flowers are an umbrella-shaped apical inflorescence, the leaves have a corrugated surface and an olive tint. Because of its very unusual appearance, this plant is very popular in Europe - it is grown in greenhouses and gardens, in addition, it bears fruit (the fruit is a berry) and blooms throughout the year.

Conditions for a flower

Recently, flower growers have been trying to adapt this type of plant for growing at home, but these experiments have not yet been very successful. Growing mainly on sea coasts and in tropical forests (Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mascarene Islands, Southwest, South Asia, northern Australia, Oceania), the flower prefers humid air and fertile, humus-enriched soil, but there are less whimsical species living in the savannah - with the onset of rains, such a takka quickly throws out its luxurious inflorescences above the ground, and during the period of drought, its aerial part dies off.

flower description

In height, the flower reaches from 40 centimeters to 1 meter, but the tacca of the leontopetal is even more - 3 meters. Flowers can be white and purple (completely different shades), and even (very rarely!) Black. The plant is actively used in magical rituals, in everyday life, and even for cooking some dishes.

The rhizomes (they contain a large amount of starch, which is called the East Indian arrowroot) can be used to make bread, sweets, medicines, the stems are used to make hats and fishing tackle, and the young leaves and inflorescences are used for food.

Tacca Chantrieri
(Takka Bat, Devil Flower)
Origin tropical forests of Southeast Asia.

Evergreen tropical herbaceous plant, reaching 90-120 cm in height. One of the most amazing and bewitching flowers. In Malaysia, Takka is called the flower of the devil or the flower of the bat and legends and scary stories are associated with it. The flowers are framed with maroon, almost black, bracts, similar to the wingspan of a bat or butterfly with long, threadlike tendrils.

The family Tacaceae is represented by one genus Tacca (Tacca J. R. Forst. & G. Forst.), numbering about 10 species, of which 9 are inhabitants of the tropics of the Old World and only 1 species is takka Parker (T. parkeri) grows in tropical South America.

Takkovye - perennial herbs with creeping or tuberous rhizomes. Young parts of plants, as a rule, are pubescent with tiny hairs that disappear as they grow older. Plant sizes are usually small, from 40 to 100 cm, but some species (for example, leontopetal takka) sometimes reach a height of 3 m.

Takka species grow in a wide variety of environmental conditions. They settle in open and heavily shaded areas, in savannas, in thickets of bushes and in rain forests. They can be found on sea coasts and in mountainous tropical forests; sometimes at an altitude of up to 2100 m above sea level.
Since ancient times, people have been using mealy tubers of tacca leontopetal, containing a very large amount (up to 25%) of starch, as a valuable food product.
Young leaves and inflorescences, as well as the pulp of the fruits, are used by the local population for writing, they make hats and fishing tackle from the stems, and from the rhizomes they prepare flour for baking bread, sweets, and medicines. In Europe, these plants are exotic, which are grown in winter gardens and greenhouses (in low-heated apartments, compared to our apartments, it is too cold for her). Takki is grown not so much for the sake of beauty, but because of the unusual appearance. With a lily, and even more so with a bat, plants have nothing in common. They belong to the monotypic botanical family of thaks, which has 10 natural species that live in the tropics of the Old World. These are perennial herbaceous plants with tuberous creeping rhizomes and basal leaves on long ribbed petioles. Their height ranges from 40 cm to 1 m, with the exception of leontopetal tacca. In nature, it reaches 3 m.

White bat or Takka whole-leaved - An unusually flowering plant, with chic white petal-wings resembling a bat, is called takka whole-leaved. In nature, about 30 varieties of this flower are known, however, it is the "White Bat" that is especially popular with flower growers. The lands of India and Malaysia are considered the birthplace of takka, and the inhabitants of Southeast Asia and Africa even enjoy eating the fruits and rhizomes of the flower.
Whole-leaved takka has large glossy leaves collected in a rosette, and at the time of flowering, an outlandish flower appears at the top of the stem, consisting of white petals with purple veins, slightly covering dark purple balls. And all this splendor is framed by long purple cords.

Takka is one of the few plants that do not need strong indoor lighting. It is shade tolerant and can stand in the back of a room. The plant loves a warm, humid atmosphere all year round, but tolerates cooler conditions.

The soil. The substrate should be loose, with the addition of sand and chopped moss with good drainage.

Watering. During the period of active growth, regular and plentiful watering is observed, spraying the leaves, and watering is reduced in winter. To create high humidity around the plant, it can be placed on a pallet with pebbles or a flower pot placed in a flower pot, and the gap between the containers filled with moss, which is constantly kept moist. Feed with liquid fertilizer for orchids.

Reproduction. Takka is easier to propagate by division of the rhizome than by seeds that germinate for a long time, up to a year, and require high temperature and humidity in the form of constant fog. Separated rosettes are best rooted in a mixture of wet moss and sand.

Devil flower (Tacca chantrieri)

In the tropical forests of Southeast Asia grows one of the most amazing and bewitching flowers, which is called "Takka-Bat", or "Devil's Flower", and legends and terrible stories are associated with it.

"> The flowers are framed by maroon, almost black, bracts, similar to the wingspan of a bat or butterfly with long, threadlike tendrils.

Takki settle in open and heavily shaded places, in savannahs, in thickets of bushes and in rain forests. They can be found on sea coasts and in mountainous tropical forests; sometimes at an altitude of up to 2100 m above sea level. Since ancient times, people have been using mealy tubers of tacca leontopetal, containing a very large amount (up to 25%) of starch, as a valuable food product.
Takki fruit in natural conditions almost all year round.

Young leaves and inflorescences, as well as the pulp of fruits, are used by the local population for writing, hats and fishing tackle are made from the stems, and flour for baking bread, sweets, and medicines are prepared from the rhizomes. In Europe, these plants are exotic, which are grown in winter gardens and greenhouses (in low-heated apartments, compared to our apartments, it is too cold for her).

Takki is grown not so much for the sake of beauty, but because of the unusual appearance. With a lily, and even more so with a bat, plants have nothing in common. They belong to the monotypic botanical family of such.
In nature, about 30 varieties of this flower are known, however, it is the "White Bat" that is especially popular with flower growers.

An unusually flowering plant, with chic white petal-wings resembling a bat, is called takka whole-leaved.

The purpose of the dark takka flowers is curious: being dim, they do not attract butterflies and pollinating birds. In addition, takki have almost no flavor.

With the appointment of bracts, in general, it is also clear - they most likely close the flowers and ripened pollen (and in no case should it get wet) from rain and dew. But why do we need long thread-like appendages, often also fleshy - it is not clear.
Nature is alien to the concept of pretentiousness, beauty for the sake of beauty, its beauty always matters and is always justified - if we do not see reasons for it, this does not mean at all that they do not really exist. And yet, in such cases, you just have to shrug your shoulders and enjoy the beauty of another amazing masterpiece of this great and unknown master.



The color of the bracts is most often white, dark brown, shades of purple or greenish-violet. The flower does not have pure black tones.

In some botanical gardens, there is a close species of whole-leaved tacca - Chantrier tacca. It is distinguished by larger broad leaves and numerous (up to 20 pieces) flowers - shiny, red-brown. Tacca Chantrier grows high in the mountains, at an altitude of up to 2000 m above sea level.

Here she is - the beautiful and terrible Takka, she is also Bat Flower, Black Lily, Devil Flower, Cat Whiskers.

Original entry and comments on

Datura (lat. Dature) is an amazing and mysterious plant. Fascinating tubular inflorescences in the form of gramophones will add a touch of southern exoticism to the site or home interior. The culture is valued for large leaves and inflorescences of various colors - blue, red, orange, milky, pink. An annual representative of the Solanaceae can reach about two meters in length. Datura (also known as datura and devil's herb) has a bad reputation. The poisonous properties of all parts of the culture scare gardeners. If you do not use leaves, stems or inflorescences, datura will not be able to harm. The plant is often used in pharmacology, folk medicine and homeopathy.

Datura "Ballerina" is one of the brightest representatives of the genus.

Lighting standards

Unpretentious datura in bright light conditions forms a lush bush with fragrant inflorescences. Proper care will help keep abundant flowering until early October.

A short sunny day or a dark location slows down the development of datura. Prolonged lack of lighting can lead to premature leaf fall and death of the flower.

Indoors, the crop can be grown as a perennial. To do this, in winter, provide daily additional illumination with fluorescent lamps.

Temperature regime

A native of North America prefers a warm microclimate. Active vegetative development occurs at temperatures above + 22 degrees.

In the cold season, it is desirable to maintain the thermometer in the range from + 10 to + 15 degrees. Hot and dry air from heating appliances can cause stretching, fading of shoots and leaves.

Watering

At the stage of active growth, it is necessary to regularly moisten the soil. During flowering and wilting, you can reduce the amount of watering.

In winter, at room conditions, dope should be watered as needed. If the air temperature is above + 18 degrees, you will need to water the plant according to the summer season scheme.

Excessive water hardness will not damage the datura. Lime mortar has an excellent effect on the vegetative growth of dope.

In contrast to the negative impact on many horticultural crops, hard water favorably affects the development of the plant.

air humidity requirements

The optimum humidity level should be at least 60%. In winter, you should regularly moisten the environment next to the plant by spraying, placing wet expanded clay on a pallet or humidifying apparatus.

Transfer

Datura refers to annual crops. When grown in open soil, transplanting is not required.

Breeding a culture in room conditions as a perennial provides for a periodic change of container and soil. It is necessary to transplant datura annually in late February or early March. It is recommended to carefully shorten the shoots to form a lush shrub structure.

As a substrate, it is desirable to use turf or greenhouse soil in combination with sand, humus and peat. The container must be provided with drainage holes to drain excess water. A waterlogged substrate leads to rotting of the roots of datura.

Especially large representatives of Datura are difficult to transplant. Therefore, to accelerate development, it is enough to change the top layer of soil. Datura at home in a few years can turn into a lush tree with a lignified stem.

How to cut dope

Periodic pruning can encourage flowering. There is a distinctive feature of Datura. The formation of new buds occurs exclusively on young shoots. By removing fading inflorescences, you can cause the active formation of new flower buds.

In winter, Datura may drop some of the leaves. Therefore, it is advisable to prune the plant in the spring.

Buds formed in the cold season, it is desirable to remove. They can significantly weaken the culture.

For long flowering, it is necessary to carefully clean the culture from fading and dried inflorescences.

Datura in the open field

Container-grown Datura tends to be short. Inflorescences are formed unevenly. Planting directly in open ground can give amazing results.

In just a few warm months, Datura will turn into a massive shrub, up to one meter high. Abundant flowering will cover the datura. The heady aroma of inflorescences can spread to the entire site.

It is necessary to plant a plant in the open air after the retreat of the threat of morning frosts. Datura can die from a sudden drop in temperature below + 3 degrees.

You should choose a site protected from drafts and wind. The soil must be loose and fertile.

For remontant (long-term) flowering, you will need to regularly fertilize the soil at the base of the plant. To do this, once a week you need to use complex mineral compounds. Half an hour before feeding, be sure to moisten the soil. The use of drugs in combination with hot weather is detrimental to Datura.

In the garden, Datura grows remarkably well as a solitary crop. Growing in groups or in the shade of other flora can stop flower development.

The nuances of planting seedlings in open ground can be found in the video:

Growing features

soil mixture

To breed datura at room conditions, it is necessary to mix greenhouse soil with humus and half a portion of river sand.

It is not advisable to use this composition for culture propagation. You can root the cutting in a substrate with leafy soil, humus, peat and sand.

How to fertilize

It is recommended to feed Datura during the period of active development. After flowering, at the dormant stage and in winter, it is not advisable to apply stimulating drugs. As a means to improve plant nutrition, complex fertilizers should be used.

Datura is a very large representative of horticultural crops. Therefore, excessive use of stimulants will not cause the development of diseases and wilting.

At the beginning of autumn, it is necessary to use organic and mineral compounds alternately - at the rate of 20 grams per 10 liters of water.

In open ground, the plant does not need to be fed. At home, you can apply multi-component fertilizers twice a month.

Container Options

To grow Datura as a perennial on an open terrace or loggia, wooden tubs, large ceramic pots or garden planters should be used. The plant needs an annual transplant. Therefore, you should choose a convenient container.

It is necessary to take into account the functionality of the pot. Periodically, an adult plant in an overall container will need to be lifted or moved. You can use a little trick. In autumn, before transporting the plant indoors, you can pour out the top layer of soil on the site. The house should fill the missing substrate. By updating the soil ball, you can not only facilitate movement, but also replace depleted soil.

The main problems and diseases of Datura

Devil grass is highly resistant to various pests and diseases. The appearance of insects, as a rule, provokes improper care or adverse conditions. Aphids and spider mites with red dots are especially dangerous for Datura. Weevils, whiteflies and forest bugs rarely infect the culture.

You can get rid of pests by treating the affected areas with a solution of laundry soap, as well as insecticides.

Leaf curl is the first sign of crop damage.

Excessive soil moisture combined with a cold snap can cause a dangerous disease - gray rot. The causative agent of the disease is Botrytis cinerea F. As a result, all parts of the datura are affected. Brown watery spots merge and form a continuous plaque on the culture.

The rapid spread of infection can kill all plants susceptible to the disease. Especially young plants. Therefore, it is necessary to destroy the datura. As a preventive measure, you should:

1. Remove dried leaves and inflorescences.
2. Periodically clean the culture from the affected areas.
3. Treat leaves and stems with a combination of chalk, ash and vitriol.

At the initial stage of the disease, you can isolate the plant and try to save it with fungicides.

Reaction to flowering

Datura contains a poisonous substance called daturin. Accidental use of a component can increase blood pressure to a critical level, increase heart rate and block secretion. A small dose of poison will cause aggressive behavior.

Eating berries or other parts of datura can cause severe poisoning.

The main signs of the impact of culture:

1. Labored breathing.
2. Rapid pulse.
3. Dizziness.
4. Impaired coordination of movements.

In severe cases, hallucinations, speech impairment, or anaphylactic shock may occur. You should immediately contact the medical center. Before the doctors arrive, it is necessary to wash the stomach and take a sorbent.

Reproduction technology

Datura from seeds

In the natural environment, the culture propagates by self-sowing. Often you can find entire groups of plants that have turned into a weed.

At home, the most convenient way to propagate is with the help of seeds. It is necessary to start the procedure in the first decade of March. The timing of planting in open ground should be calculated. The plant can be moved to a permanent place after 3 months.

In warm climates, direct sowing on the site is allowed. Soil temperature should not drop + 18 degrees. As a substrate, leafy soil, compost and medium-grained sand are suitable. To stimulate growth, you can pre-treat the seeds with potassium permanganate. Heat treatment will also help to activate germination. Seeds should be poured with hot water.

Under favorable conditions, seedlings will appear in two weeks. If the temperature drops below + 20 degrees or the substrate is dry, the first shoots may appear only after a month.

To stimulate germination, you can use a polyethylene shelter. A mini-greenhouse must be periodically ventilated. After germination, humidity should be maintained at 65%. You can dive into separate containers after the formation of three full-fledged leaves.

Seedlings can be planted in open soil at a distance of 50-90 cm. To protect against possible frosts, seedlings should be covered with foil. Plants dived into pots must be transferred to a warm room.

Vegetative propagation method

The method is rarely used. Datura can be propagated using cuttings removed. Cut shoots must be rooted in prepared moist soil. You can not use phytohormones to stimulate rooting. It is enough to create greenhouse conditions with the help of transparent glass.

The length of the branch should be about fifteen centimeters. It is necessary to separate the stalk at the beginning of the autumn period. In winter, you need to keep the young datura indoors. After the retreat of cold snaps, you can plant a seedling in the ground.

Why datura does not bloom

Often, after acquiring a rooted cutting, inflorescences do not form. The reason is overgrown seedlings. A small shipping container slows down the development of datura. It is possible to determine poor-quality seedlings on the basis of the hardness of the trunk.

Arid soil and a high percentage of nitrogen in fertilizers also cause rare and uneven flowering.

When buying, you should pay attention to the thickness of the stem of the seedling.

How to choose dope

It is necessary to purchase planting material from trusted garden representatives. Improper conditions of detention can slow down the further development of culture.

Datura is often confused with Brugsmania. Distinguishing a plant is quite simple. Datura has bell-shaped inflorescences pointing upwards.

A set of Datura Gramophone seeds (20 pieces) can be purchased at a price of 300 rubles. A grown seedling of Datura "Treelike" 30 cm high is estimated at an average of 450 rubles.

What flower is called the flower of the devil? and got the best answer

Answer from -<*PapAiY*>-[guru]
Family Taccaceae.
Origin tropical forests of Southeast Asia.
Evergreen tropical herbaceous plant, reaching 90-120 cm in height. One of the most amazing and bewitching flowers. In Malaysia, Takka is called the flower of the devil or the flower of the bat and legends and scary stories are associated with it. The flowers are framed by green bracts similar to the wingspan of a bat or butterfly with long, threadlike tendrils. The leaves are glossy, green (up to 45 cm long) on ​​long petioles growing from the base.
Prefers to grow in filtered light or shaded areas. The soil is loose, nutritious with a large amount of inert baking powder, well drained. pH= 5-6.5 Requires high ambient humidity and constant circulation of fresh air. Does not tolerate direct sunlight, excessively dry and warm air, overdrying and flooding of an earthen clod, alkaline soil. Grows best in moist greenhouses, in slightly acidic, loose soil. The temperature of the content is 20-22 ° C.
Propagated by rhizomes and seeds. Seeds before sowing are soaked for a day in hot water (40-50 ° C). It is sown on top of the planting mixture, based on peat and inert baking powder, lightly sprinkled on top, moistened, covered with a film and germinated in a warm, bright place for 1-9 months.
here you are please

Answer from Mikhail Mikhailovich[guru]
takka

Answer from Nikolai Basmanov[guru]
Actually, "Devil's Flower" is a movie.
"Devil's Flower" (2008)
Film companies
* Production: ZGfilm / Karo production, Russia, 2008
* Film distribution: Car rental
"Devil's Flower" (2008)
* mystic / melodrama
* Director: Ekaterina Grokhovskaya
* Screenplay: Ekaterina Grokhovskaya
Producer: Igor Zadorin
Cinematographer: Andrey Makarov
Artist: Ekaterina Grokhovskaya
Editing: Ekaterina Grokhovskaya
* Cast: Olga Khokhlova, Sergey Krapiva, Oleg Sukachenko, Marina Golub, Natalia Naumova, Alena Levkovich
College student Polina dreams of a mysterious flower on the gates of a medieval castle, which has an incredible power of attraction. She tells about the dream to her friend, who is fond of mysticism. Mysteriously, they find an ancient book and find in it an engraving depicting the same flower as in Polina's dream, as well as six mysterious blank pages...
At a polo tournament, Polina meets Sasha, the team's best player. A romantic relationship develops between them. But the dream and the book do not leave Polina alone, and now the mysterious Horseman appears to her in a dream. Polina is torn between reality and dreams, between love for Sasha and craving for the mysterious Rider. Meanwhile, ancient prints mysteriously appear on the blank pages of the book. The events depicted on them begin to take place in Polina's real life. Signs lead Polina to meet the mysterious Rider. Sasha is ready to fight for his love, but for this he will have to engage in a mortal battle with the Forces of Evil.

Answer from Olga Kutsova[guru]

In tropical countries, on the coasts and in mountain rainforests, TAKKA (Tacca Chantrieri) grows preferring a humid atmosphere. The local population calls this plant "black lily", "bat" or "devil's flower", associating terrible legends with it, but at the same time, the pulp of takka fruits is eaten, hats and fishing tackle are made from its stems, and flour is prepared from rhizomes for baking bread, sweets, medicines.
Takka contains alkaloid substances and is used in magical rituals. The powder of dried takka flowers also has interesting properties - it has a very high coefficient of volumetric expansion. Once in the stomach, it increases in volume up to 80-100 times its original volume.
The dark color of the flower is due to the fact that it is pollinated by carrion or dung flies, which are attracted by rotting remains. Insects are attracted by the shine of the cells on the “bottom” of the flower and the very faint smell of spoiled meat, almost imperceptible to humans. In nature, individual specimens reach 3 m in height. In Europe, these exotic plants are grown in winter gardens and greenhouses.
Takkas bloom and bear fruit almost all year round. Insects are attracted by the shine of the cells on the "bottom" of the flower and the very faint smell of spoiled meat, almost imperceptible to humans. In addition, flies are attracted by large bracts in which you can spend the night, and juicy filamentous appendages are a real delicacy for insects.