Zamioculcas zamifolia, commonly known as ZZ Plants, are, at least in my opinion, one of the easiest plants to care for. They're right there next to snake plants. I highly recommend them to anyone just getting into building their own indoor garden, especially those who are terrified to see what color their thumb actually is.
I bought my first ZZ plant a few years ago when I was branching out from cacti and succulents to more green, leafy things. I loved the fun leaves that just sprouted upwards. It was simple, and the deep green was exactly what I thought of when picturing plants. It was originally a little thing, and you can just how big and beautifully it's gotten in the last three or so years at home on my mother's back porch.
Yes, I did say on my mother's porch. This beauty used to be mine, but my mother claimed her at some point as her own. To me, this just goes to show how low maintenance a ZZ Plant is because my mom is notorious for saying how she just doesn't have time to deal with live plants. She prefers the fake kind or better yet, nothing at all. But, since ZZs are so easy, this one now lives with my mom until the day comes when I can have her back. Until then, I check on her when I visit.
A BIT ABOUT THE ZZ PLANT
ZZ Plants are native to Eastern Africa, from the south of Kenya to South Africa. They're a drought-prone plant that's been around for centuries, but in 1996, Dutch nurseries in Africa began propagating and distributing it around the world. Now, it's a common plant in both the home and office.
VARIETIES
There are a number of varieties of ZZ Plants to look out for to bring into your home for decoration or collection.
ZZ Plant: This is your typical ZZ Plant. Wild and attractive dark green leaves that are waxy and smooth. The stems begin a little thicker at the bottom and taper off towards the top. Leaves sit side by size along the stem and have a symetrical curve to a pointed tip.
Lucky Classic ZZ: This is a variety of the ZZ Plant that has rounder leaves instead of the more pointed ones from your typical ZZ.
Zenzi ZZ: This variety has curlier leaves that grow closer together.
Zamicro ZZ: The "dwarf" version of the ZZ Plant. This version will stay smaller making it "micro" and will not grow more than two feet in height.
Raven ZZ: This variety has dark purple, almost black foliage. This variety is a lot more rare than the typical ZZ Plant. (See below for an image of my Raven ZZ)
Variegated ZZ: A variegated ZZ has white mixed into the green foliage of the leaves. Variegation is in itself a mutation of the plant, so it's extremely rare and has to be propagated from the rare occurrence. Because of this, it's extremely rare to see out in store. Typically, cuttings of leaves or small rooted starters are bought to begin growing this plant.
BENEFITS
Like a number of houseplants, ZZ Plants help to purify the air in your home. In a NASA study, the ZZ Plant was found to remove xylene, toluene, and benzene from the air.
GROWING ZZ PLANTS
Remember when I said ZZ Plants are easy. I wasn't kidding.
In order to keep your ZZ Plant happy, plant them in a well-draining soil in a pot with good drainage. I like to keep most of my plants in nursery pots and then tuck them into a more decorative pot. This allows for good drainage in a nursery pot, but the pot can still be decorative. If you're one to overwater your plants, I highly recommend a terracotta pot.
Water your ZZ Plant when the soil is dry. If you're one to forget, don't worry. These plants are drought-tolerant, so they can handle a missed watering or two. This is because of the rhizomes they grow from (See Propagation for more on Rhizomdes).
ZZ plants can be fertilized twice a year. Do this during their summer, which is the growing season. Fertilize with a 20-20-20 fertilizer and simply add it into your normal watering.
Find a spot in your home that suits your ZZ. They can tolerate low to bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight, as this can burn the leaves of the ZZ Plant. These plants can tolerate some low light conditions, but remember surviving and tolerating isn't always thriving. Be sure to check in on your plant and make sure it find a place when it can be happy, too.
I have my ZZs in my bedroom to help purify the air. My bedroom has a south-facing window, so my ZZs are on my two dressers, which are more than 6 feet from the window. They get a few hours of indirect sunlight in the afternoon, which keeps them happy in an otherwise darker spot of the house.
REPOTTING
ZZ Plants are slow growing, so you shouldn't have to repot yours that often, maybe once every year or two. They typically grow to 3-4 ft high, unless you have a the Zamicro variety, which only grows to a max of 2 ft. This is a great relief if you've ever had a monster-growing plant that quickly outgrows every pot you put them in!
To repot, check to see if the plant is ready to be repotted. ZZ Plants do like to be root bound, so that is not always the best indicator. Instead, check to see if the plant still has room to grow and expand. Pay attention to how your plant is growing. Have you noticed a slow down of new growth? Are it's leaves getting yellowed or droopy or off and you can't attribute this to overwatering or pests? It's time to repot then. I made the mistake of repotting mine too early once, and it's grow significantly slowed.
When repotting, move one pot size up. Find a good well-draining soil or mix your own with soil, perlite, and some sand. The key is to test the soil before potting in it to make sure excess water drains from the pot so that your plant will not develop root rot.
All that's left to do is to remove your ZZ from it's previous pot, loosen the roots a little, and repot. Place it's favorite spot!
PROPAGATION
ZZ Plants can be propagated two different ways.
1. Rhizomes
ZZ Plants grow from rhizomes, which are the potatoe-like bulbs pictured above. These rhizomes help store water, which makes the ZZ Plant drought-tolerant. The easiest way to propagate a ZZ Plant is to simply divide your plant which repotting. Separate a rhizome and plant. In time, this rhizome will create more baby ZZ Plants.
2. Leaf Propagation
Another way to propagate a ZZ Plant is to take a leaf or a cutting of the stem with a leaf or two. Place these cuttings in water or soil (water typically works better), and allow the cutting to grow roots. Once a root system is around 2-3 inches, place in soil to grow. A Rhizome will eventually grow and a new ZZ Plant will be born. This propagation method takes significantly longer and is truly a test of patience.
WARNING
ZZ Plants ARE toxic. Thought the foliage of these plants is beautiful, if you have small children or animals that like to nibble on plants, I'd suggest avoiding these plants. They are not cancerous, but every part of this plant is poisonous.
I have two dogs, and these plants are kept up on my dresser. They're a safe distance from my dogs, and honestly, my dogs don't bother plants too often. (I think this is because of a cactus incident). My one dog, Willow, did try to eat a dead leaf she plucked out of the trash. I didn't notice this until after she was a bit sick that week. All is good, but it's definitely taught me to watch my plants with her, especially the ones in the trash. (She likes to hunt in the trash).
Above is a picture of my current ZZ Plant, since my mother stole my big momma. She's small, but she's truly one of my favorite plants. I love her leaves so much that I took a few pieces of her and propagated her to create a second plant for my office at work. I'm excited for this beauty to keep growing and purifying my rooms for years to come.
Do you have a ZZ Plant? Let me know below!
