Takka (Tassa) is a perennial herb that came to us from Southeast Asia and the western regions of Africa. This mysterious plant can grow and develop in various conditions. He is not afraid of both open areas for growth and shaded areas: savannas, thickets, woodlands. Takku can be found both in the mountains and on the coast of the seas.
The creeping rhizomes of the Flower are represented by a tuberous development system. The aerial part of the plant is represented by large glossy leaves located on elongated petioles that have a ribbed shape. This is a rather large type of flower, the height of which can vary from 40 to 100 cm. But there are types of taccoid, which grow up to 3 m. On the young parts of the takka, you can observe the hairy edge, which gradually disappears with the maturation of the plant.
The originality of the plant is given by an interesting color and structure of the flower. Arrows extend from under the large leaves, which have umbrellas with 6-10 flowers at the tips. Some species have long bracts. Such plants give fruits - berries. Maybe the fruit is a box, but this is a feature of the plantain tacca. This plant has a lot of seeds for reproduction.
Takka care at home
Location and lighting
Takku should be kept in shaded places in the apartment, protected from direct sunlight. To do this, it is better to choose windows facing east and west.
Temperature
Since takka is still a tropical plant, the temperature regime should be maintained accordingly. In the summer, the temperature should not deviate from the indicators at + 18-30 degrees. With the onset of autumn and for the entire winter-spring period, the temperature should be reduced to +20 degrees and maintained within this limit. The main thing is to prevent it from dropping below +18 degrees. The flower loves fresh air, but at the same time it does not tolerate the effects of drafts.
Air humidity
In this regard, takka is fussy. Dry room maintenance can harm the plant, so it must be constantly moistened in various ways. Systematic spraying must be supplemented with humidifiers. Additionally, you can place a flower pot on a wide pallet with moistened moss or expanded clay. It is also possible for the plant to arrange night "steam baths" by closing it in a room filled with steam.
Watering
In the hot season, takka requires abundant watering. You need to monitor the top layer of the soil, which should be moistened as it dries. With the arrival of autumn, water the plant more moderately. In winter, the soil in the pot can be allowed to dry out by 1/3 of the volume. In this case, the soil should not dry out or become waterlogged. For watering, it is customary to use soft, better settled, not cold water.
The soil
A breathable and loose substrate should be used to grow this plant. You can use ready-made mixed soils for orchids. Or combine the mixture in this ratio: leaf earth and peat in 1 part, turf soil and sand in 0.5 parts.
Fertilizer
It is necessary to feed the takka from early spring to mid-autumn once every two weeks. In winter, this flower does not need fertilization. For feeding, you can use a halved concentration of flower fertilizers.
Transfer
Takka is transplanted only when there is a need for it. It is better to do this in the spring, when the root system is fully strengthened. The capacity of the new pot should not be much larger than the previous one, otherwise the flower can be simply "filled". Care must be taken to organize the drainage layer.
Reproduction of the takki flower
The main methods of reproduction of takki are propagation by seeds and division of the rhizome.
Reproduction by dividing the rhizome
For reproduction by rhizome, you first need to cut off the aerial part of the flower. Next, you need to divide the rhizome itself with a sharp knife into the required number of parts. Then the cut areas are covered with charcoal and dried within 24 hours. After that, planting is carried out in light soil in pots corresponding to the size of the division.
Seed propagation
When planting seeds, they must first be prepared. To do this, the seeds are soaked in warm water heated to 50 degrees for 24 hours. Seeds are sown in loose soil to a centimeter depth. To maintain moisture from above, the crops must be covered with transparent polyethylene or plastic. The temperature of the soil in which the seeds germinate should be at least 30 degrees. Seedlings can appear in the period from 1 to 9 months.
Diseases and pests
Takki's main enemy is spider mite... You can be saved from damage by this mite if you use acaricides to treat the plant. With frequent watering, rot can develop on the plant.
Popular types of takki
Tacca leontopetaloides
The tallest evergreen species of takkov. At a height of 3 meters, it has huge pinnately cut leaves, the width of which reaches 60 cm, and the length varies within 70 cm. The greenish-purple flowers are hidden under two large light green bedspreads. The bracts of this species of takki grows up to 60 cm, has a long, sharp shape. The berry is the fruit of the flower.
Tacca whole-leafed or White bat (Tacca integrifolia)
This evergreen flower migrated from India. It can be recognized by its wide, mirror-smooth leaves about 70 cm long and up to 35 cm wide.Under two large white 20 cm bedspreads, flowers are hidden, which can have various colors: black, dark purple, purple. The bracts of the snow-white takka, as it is also called, are thin. Cord-like and rather long (up to 60 cm). The berry acts as a fruit.
Tacca chantrieri or Black Bat (Tacca chantrieri)
This evergreen plant from the tropics is a close relative of the tacca whole-leafed plant. But even with the untrained eye, you can see the differences between these species. The height of this type of takka ranges between 90 and 120 cm. The leaves of Chantrye are wide and folded at the base, located on long petioles. This plant can have up to 20 flowers. They have a glossy red-brown color and are bordered with dark burgundy bracts in the form of butterfly or bat wings.
