‘ZZ’ PLANT

Zamioculcas zamiifolia, called ‘ZZ Plant’ for short, is the only member of the Zamioculcas genus. It has thick, potato-like rhizomes under the soil and glossy, deep green leaves. 

ZZ plants are native to Africa, from the southernmost part of Kenya, through the eastern regions of the continent, and down to the northeastern part of South Africa. They are typically found growing in hot, arid grasslands. 

Interestingly, ZZ plants do not actually have stems, in the traditional sense–their leaves grow directly from rhizomes under the soil. Each leaf is comprised of leaflets on a rachis, where the rachis transports water and nutrients up the leaf to all of the leaflets. The structure is similar to ferns and palms. This is why ZZ plants do not grow more “leaves” on a stem that has emerged, because the whole frond is the leaf! 

There are a few different cultivated varieties of ZZ plant on the market today, with one of the most popular being the Z. zamiifolia ‘Raven’. The leaves emerge bright, almost neon green and then deepen down to black as they harden off. Another popular one is the Z. zamiifolia ‘Zenzi’, which is a compact, dwarf variety. No matter the variety, the care of these tough plants is the same. They remain one of the most resilient and hardy plants currently on the market. 

LIGHT

One of the most unique things about ZZ plants are their light requirements, as they can be grown in a huge range of lighting conditions. ZZ’s are one of the few plants that can survive in extremely low light, and can often be found in the darkest corners of offices or homes. They grow best in bright light, where they can get a few hours of direct sun every day. This will promote the quickest growth (though ZZ plants are quite slow growing, even in good conditions). If you are getting a ZZ for a low light spot, it is best to buy it around the size you would like it to be. They can survive in and tolerate low light, but typically do not put out new growth in those conditions.

WATER & SOIL

ZZ plants are extremely drought tolerant, and are an excellent choice for the under-waterer. ZZ plants can actually survive months without watering, as they store water in their bulbous rhizomes and the thick, fleshy part of their leaves. That said, they do generally prefer to not go too long without water. ZZ plants are evergreen, except for in periods of extreme drought. If they go too long without water, they become deciduous and will drop their leaves. 

When watering a ZZ plant, make sure to check that the soil is fully dry to the bottom of the pot. Once that is confirmed, fully saturate the substrate. As we like to say with ZZ plants: when in doubt, dry it out! 

The frequency of watering will be determined by the light and soil it is in. If a plant is in higher light, it will need to be watered more frequently than if it were in lower light. However, they should always be well saturated upon watering. We recommend using cactus and succulent soil for ZZ plants, as it is well draining and will dry out well, even if the plant does not use up all the water in the soil. If a regular potting soil, heavy in peat moss or coco coir, is used, the plants will typically take longer to dry out and can be more prone to rot from staying too wet, too long. This type of soil also compacts when allowed to dry fully, and can be more difficult to fully saturate.

FERTILIZER 

ZZ plants are not heavy feeders. Most ZZ plants can go many months or even years without needing to be fertilized. They will prefer to be fed 1-2 times a year, with a balanced fertilizer or something slightly higher in nitrogen and potassium. 

SPECIAL NOTES & COMMON ISSUES

ZZ plants are extremely easy to care for, but are prone to both over and under watering. Over and under watering can look similar above the soil on a ZZ, but it becomes apparent which you are dealing with when you look at the root system. ZZ’s will have an easier time coming back from underwatering opposed to over watering, as they are equipped to handle extreme drought–they just don’t look great while doing so. Both will present with yellowing and browning leaves, may drop leaflets, and entire leaf stalks can fall over. Overwatering results in squishy, rotting rhizomes and will typically have slimy, rotted, or non-existent roots, usually accompanied by a strong smell. Underwatering will present as brown, desiccated roots, and will usually have wrinkly looking rhizomes. It is important to remove any dead plant matter if there is a root issue, as it can lead to rot or bacterial growth if left. Most ZZ plants need water every 3-6 weeks, depending on their light and substrate.

When potting up a ZZ plant, it is important to consider the type of container being used. ZZ plants need drainage holes in their pots, as they do not want any excess water to build up in the bottom. It is also recommended that ZZ plants are not potted into containers that have openings smaller than the widest part of the pot. ZZ plants are extremely difficult to remove from pots that have small openings, as their rhizomes will typically fill the wider parts of the pot. Sometimes, the pot has to be broken to remove the plant. ZZ plants can even break their own pots with their robust root systems if they get too tight, so it is not recommended they are planted directly into valuable or sentimental pottery. Instead, we encourage people to pot their ZZ plants into nursery pots that can be staged in a decorative pot, or in terracotta pottery which is typically inexpensive/replaceable.