Tacca Leontopetaloides
Tacca leontopetaloides
Tacca leontopetaloides, the Polynesian Arrowroot or Pia, is a remarkable tuberous perennial widely distributed across tropical Africa, South Asia, South-east Asia, northern Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Carried by Polynesian voyagers across the Pacific as a "canoe plant," it produces striking greenish-purple flowers with long trailing whisker-like bracts and was one of the most important starch crops in Pacific Island culture. It symbolizes journeys, cultural continuity, and the nourishing power of deep ancestral knowledge.
Dioscoreaceae (Yam family)
Mainly spring to early autumn (active growing season); plant is dormant in autumn and winter, dying back to the underground tuber
Symbolism & Meanings
Key Meanings
Perfect For
Color Meanings
Similar flowers: desmodiums and sarracenias also share similar meanings.
Cultural Significance
Tacca leontopetaloides carries one of the richest cultural histories of any plant in the Pacific. It is one of the original "canoe plants," the select group of food, medicine, and material plants that Polynesian voyagers deliberately carried in their ocean-going canoes when they set out to populate the islands of the Pacific, a journey of extraordinary navigation skill covering thousands of kilometres of open ocean. The plant is called pia in Hawaii, Tahiti, Niue, and the Cook Islands, masoa in Samoa, and mahoaʻa in French Polynesia. Its starch, processed from the underground tubers after careful washing to remove bitterness, was a vital carbohydrate source on islands where other staple crops could not grow, particularly on low atolls and coral islands. In Hawaii, pia flour was the original thickener for haupia, the traditional coconut pudding that remains a central dish at luaus today. The genus name Tacca is thought to derive from a Malay or Indonesian vernacular name for the plant. The species name leontopetaloides means "resembling the lion's tooth flower" (a reference to Leontice leontopetaloides), reflecting the deeply divided, paw-like leaf shape.Shop Our Floral Collection
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Physical Characteristics
Natural Habitat
Growing Guide
Sunlight
Partial shade to full shade; naturally grows in the damp, shaded understorey of tropical forest and coastal areas; direct sun scorches the large leaves and weakens the plant. Indoors, bright indirect light is ideal. Outdoors, a position under trees or next to a sheltering wall providing 40 to 60% shade is best.
Water
Keep consistently moist but not waterlogged during the active growing season. Water twice weekly as temperatures rise in summer. Reduce water significantly in autumn as the plant enters dormancy and the leaves die back; allow the soil to become fairly dry over winter while the tuber rests. Resume regular watering when new growth emerges in spring.
Soil
Well-drained, Sandy, Loamy, Humus-rich; prefers moist, fertile, well-draining soil similar to its naturally shaded understorey habitat
Expert Growing Tips
Plant tubers upright in a humus-rich, well-draining, slightly acidic potting mix or garden bed in a shaded position
Maintain high humidity around the plant, especially indoors; mist leaves daily in dry climates or place on a pebble tray with water
Fertilise every two weeks during the growing season with a balanced liquid fertiliser (10-20-10 ratio or similar); do not fertilise during dormancy
Protect from temperatures below 10 degrees C; the plant is frost-sensitive and should be brought indoors in cold climates before the first frost
Propagate by dividing the underground tubers in spring when repotting; each section should have at least one growing point
The large leaves are susceptible to wind damage; position in a sheltered spot away from strong winds and heating or cooling vents indoors
Uses & Benefits
Ornamental Uses
- Dramatic specimen in tropical, subtropical, and shaded garden understorey plantings
- Container and terrarium plant for shaded patios, conservatories, and bright indoor rooms
- Collector and botanical curiosity plant
- Traditional food garden plantings in Pacific Island communities
- Tropical garden understorey companion with heliconias, gingers, and cannas
Traditional Uses
- Traditional Pacific Island and Hawaiian (pia) use: tubers processed into starch by grating, soaking in water and rinsing repeatedly to remove the toxic bitter compound taccalin, then dried and ground into flour for puddings, poi, and other starchy foods
- Hawaiian traditional medicine: raw tuber juice consumed to treat stomach ailments; paste of grated tuber mixed with water and red clay ingested to treat diarrhoea, dysentery, and internal bleeding; applied topically to wounds, sores, burns, and wasp stings
- The starch was historically extracted and sold to Europe as East Indian Arrowroot or Fiji Arrowroot, used in baking and as a thickener
- Stem fibres were woven into hats, brooms, mats, and other textile items in Pacific Island communities
- The starch was used to stiffen tapa (bark cloth) as an adhesive; traditional Polynesian monoi (fragrant oil) from the Tuamotu Archipelago was made using the starch
- WARNING: Raw, unprocessed tubers contain taccalin, a bitter and potentially toxic compound; thorough and repeated washing before consumption is essential and traditional preparation methods should be followed carefully
Disclaimer: Information provided is for educational purposes only. Consult healthcare professionals before using any plant medicinally.
Further Reading
Frequently Asked Questions about the Tacca Leontopetaloides
What is a "canoe plant" and why is Tacca leontopetaloides one?
A canoe plant is a term for the select group of food, medicine, fibre, and culturally important plants that ancient Polynesian navigators deliberately carried in their ocean-going canoes when voyaging to populate new Pacific islands. Tacca leontopetaloides (pia) was one of these plants because its starchy tubers provided a critical carbohydrate food source, especially on low coral atolls where other staple crops like taro could not grow. Carrying and cultivating canoe plants was an act of cultural preservation as much as survival.
What is haupia and what does it have to do with Tacca leontopetaloides?
Haupia is the traditional Hawaiian coconut pudding that is a centrepiece of luaus and Hawaiian celebrations. Originally, haupia was made by thickening fresh coconut cream and sugar with pia flour, the starch extracted from processed Tacca leontopetaloides tubers. Today, cornstarch has largely replaced pia flour in modern haupia recipes, but pia remains the plant of the original and traditional version of this beloved Hawaiian dish.
Is Tacca leontopetaloides the same as the Black Bat Flower?
No, they are different species in the same genus. The Black Bat Flower is Tacca chantrieri, which has dark purple-black flowers and is native to South-east Asia. Tacca leontopetaloides (Polynesian Arrowroot) has greenish-purple flowers with trailing bracts and is valued primarily as a food and medicine plant across the Pacific, Africa, and South-east Asia. Both share the distinctive "bat flower" appearance of spreading bracts and trailing filiform bracts.
How is the starch from Tacca leontopetaloides extracted?
To extract arrowroot starch from Tacca leontopetaloides tubers, the tubers are first peeled and grated into a pulp. The pulp is then washed thoroughly in water multiple times, each time allowing the starch grains to settle to the bottom and removing the water along with the bitter compound taccalin. After sufficient washing, the settled starch is collected and dried in the sun. This process is essential as raw, unwashed tubers contain taccalin, a bitter and potentially harmful substance.
What does Tacca leontopetaloides symbolize?
Tacca leontopetaloides symbolizes voyaging, cultural continuity, and the nourishing power of ancestral knowledge. As one of the original Polynesian canoe plants, deliberately carried across thousands of kilometres of open ocean by master navigators, it represents the human determination to sustain culture and community through the most challenging of journeys. It is a living emblem of Pacific Islander heritage and ingenuity.
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