A Reward

Sad to say, I was in the lab until about 2:30 am. Oh, the joys of being a graduate student and running scans. But at least with kinetics, you always get some data.

I drove home tired and thinking how lovely it will feel to crawl into the warmth of my bed and fall into a slumber.

When I drove up my driveway, I saw a box sitting on my porch. I already knew what it was. It was my Tacca chantrieri. What a sweet reward! The timing could not be more perfect after a long hard day!

I finally found a source for the plant. Not an easy matter considering that most nurseries sell out almost instantly. I also found one for a reasonable price. Again, not an easy thing to do. Some places offer a blooming plant for about $75. Ouch.

Of course, mine is not in bloom. The grower stated it should bloom next year if growing conditions are met. That will be the trick considering its exotic origins. But I figure, if I can grow and bloom orchids, I should be able to tackle the cultural requirements of this plant.


Tacca chantrieri is commonly known as the Black Bat Flower. If you look carefully enough at its morphology, you can see why.

Yes, this is an exotic plant with an exotic flower. But that is where my botanical interests tend to take me.