The ZZ plant has long, straight stems and glossy green leaves. It’s an excellent houseplant that’s easy to grow. This plant is also known as the steel plant, aroid palm, emerald palm, and eternity plant. It is ideal for growing indoors and is sometimes called the Zizi plant. To keep its lush, green leaves bright and glossy, a AZL plant needs little light or water.
The scientific name for the Zizi plant is Zamioculas zamiifolia. The decorative plant, which can tolerate heat and drought, is native to Eastern and Southern Africa. In temperatures above 59°F (15°C), the flowering plant thrives outdoors. ZZ plants were not widely accepted as evergreen houseplants until the 1990s.
How to care for ZZ plant: Only water the Zamioculcas plant when the soil is mostly dry because it needs well-draining potting soil. Zizi thrives in bright conditions, with an humidity level of 65 to 75°F (18 to 24°C), and a temperature range of 65 to 75°F (18 to 24°C). A diluted liquid houseplant fertilizer should be applied 3 or 4 times throughout the growing season.
You’ll learn how to take care of a ZZ plant in this article. You’ll also learn how to grow and maintain your houseplant, which is a popular houseplant.
What is the ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)?
The genus Zamioculcas contains just one species, the ZZ plant (zamioculcas zamiifolia). Green-leaved herbaceous plants, with their glossy leaves, are the most frequent sort of ZZ plant. The Raven ZZ plant has dark purple, almost black foliage, similar to the other species. The height of zippies ranges from 18 to 23.5 inches (45 to 60 cm). A succulent rhizome that resembles a little potato gives the thick stems. Emerald palms may survive without water for months because of this rhizome.
Pinnate shaped leaves with a fatty texture cover each thick succulent stem on the ZZ plant. These lustrous leaves are 2.8″ to 6″ (7 to 15 cm) long and alternate on the stem. Each stem is a leaf with pairs of leaflets, according to botanical terminology. A few rhizomes can be planted together to give a bushier appearance.
Flowers are also produced by Z. avena; however, they are tiny and lacklustre. A spadix is a leaf-like bract surrounding a soft spike covered in little flowers, and these are examples of spadixes. From mid-summer to early autumn, they grow near the bottom of the stems.
Keeping a Zanzibar gem plant in your house or workplace can help clean the air as well. According to some studies, the leaves aid in the removal of airborne contaminants and pollutants.
ZZ Plant Care Summary
When it comes to caring for a zee zee plant, there are really just a few requirements. The ideal growing environment is created by average room temperatures and home humidity. They’re also tough indoor plants that can survive indoors without ailment. Bright light isn’t required, even though the plant thrives in bright, indirect sunlight.
In a shady corner, under fluorescent lights, or on a sunny windowsill, the Zizi plant will thrive. Since it does not need a lot of water, caring for a Zanzibar gem is simple. In reality, neglect seems to be the secret ingredient in the hardy houseplant.
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas) Care
When it comes to proper care, Z. Buddh inoffeiria has modest requirements. To make sure that your Zanzibar gem plant thrives, however, there are a few care guidelines to follow.
Right Type of Soil for ZZ Plants
You should plant your ZZ in a pot with well-draining potting soil to care for it. Mix a 1-part potting mix with 1-part perlite or horticultural sand to produce loamy soil for a ZZ plant. Cactus potting mix is an excellent option to cultivate this indoor plant because ZZs have succulent qualities. Your pot needs drainage holes, because your Zizi plant hates too much moisture. Along with the proper soil mix,
A layer of clay pebbles at the bottom of the container can help to increase drainage flow. The soil will never become too soggy if you use the right mix. Root rot and sluggish development are symptoms of overly wet soil. You can learn how to detect indications of damaged or sick ZZ plant roots at the conclusion of the article.
Lighting Requirements for ZZ (Zizi) Plants
You need to make sure your Zamioculcas gets plenty of light to thrive. It thrives best in bright, indirect sunlight. If you want your houseplant to develop quickly, keep it near a window. Make sure it is on an east-west- or north-facing window if you decide to put it on a windowsill.
Sunlight during the day is fine, but excessive direct sunlight can induce leaf damage. Early morning or late evening light is ideal. The plant should be placed behind sheer drapery on a south-facing windowsill. In low-light settings, your emerald palm should be just fine. It will grow well indoors, even if it isn’t exposed to natural sunlight, thanks to artificial light such as that found in office buildings.
How to Water Your ZZ Plant (Zamioculas)
Having a ZZ plant at home is great because you don’t have to water it often. When the top layer of the soil is dry, it’s time to water a ZZ. Check to see when the top 1 inch (2.5 cm) has dried out every week or so. To care for your ZZ plant properly, thoroughly watering the soil until the water drains out at the bottom is a great watering tip.
After that, you’ll be able to virtually forget about watering for another two weeks or so. For a Zanzibar gem plant, you’ll need to have a dry soil.
Therefore, don’t allow the container to rest in a tray of water. You’ll get a ZZ plant with yellow leaves and stunted development if the soil soaks up too much water. Your ZZ can go longer without water than most other houseplants, such as nerve plants, due to its succulent leaves and rhizomes. Regular watering, on the other hand, will keep your plant’s foliage lustrous and glossy.
ZZ Plant (Steel Plant) Humidity Requirements
Since typical room humidity is ideal for healthy development, ZPT plant flowers and new growth are simple to care for at home. Your ZZ plant does not need to be misted everyday like some houseplants do. In winter, when you have the home heating on, humidity becomes a issue for a steel manufacturing.
Central heating may make your home’s air drier. You should spray your houseplants with a water spray every now and again throughout the winter. When the tips of the leaves become brown, you’ll know they need moisture.
ZZ Plant (Emerald Palm) Temperature
Keeping your room at an even temperature will help your emerald palm look its best. Between 65 and 75°F (18 and 24°C) is the best range for healthy growth. You may put your Zamioculas plants outside if you prefer warm summers. A containerized ZZ plant may give a balcony, deck, patio, or other location some stunning greenery. Bring it inside as soon as the temperature drops and make sure that it isn’t exposed to direct sunlight all day.
Fertilizer for ZZ Plants (Aroid Palms)
To keep your Zanzibar plant healthy, you don’t have to feed it often. The plant has few nutritional needs and grows at a leisurely pace. Your aroid palm will get all of the nutrients it needs if you use high-quality potting soil. Throughout the spring and summer, you may apply fertilizer to help your plants grow.
A balanced fertilizer for houseplants should be used to feed the ZZ plant four times a year. After you’ve watered, do this. Too many mineral salts build up in the soil, causing leaf burn, and flushing out the soil helps prevent this.
How to Prune a ZZ Plant
A healthy zee zee plant does not need to be pruned. Reducing the size of a big ZZ plant is usually the only time to use pruning shears. You may trim the stems to the right length in this situation. Pruning isn’t going to help you grow faster, just remember that. Leaves that have turned yellow should also be pruned off. If you are overwatering the houseplant, yellowing leaves may appear at the base of the stem.
The bad news is that a few yellow leaves may be innocuous. When new leaves develop, old ones yellow and fall away. If you are treating your Zanzibar gem correctly, the unusual yellow leaf is completely normal.
ZZ Plant Repotting
Your zizi plant will need to be repotted at some point. Roots have more space to expand and water drains better when they are repotted in a bigger container. You don’t need to repot your houseplant very often because it doesn’t grow quickly. When your Zamioculcas starts to grow in the spring, is the ideal time to repot it. Purchase a 2″ (5 cm) wider container with drainage holes than the current one.
Shake off the loose soil from the pot and gently remove the stems and rhizomes. Cut off any damaged roots if you are repotting due to waterlogged soil or root rot. Loamy potting mix should be filled into a new container half full. Fill the remaining potting mix into your ZZ plant. Water it well before proceeding.
ZZ Plant Flowers
When it grows outside, an emerald palm will only bloom once. The blooms are tiny and insignificant, hidden at the base of the plant beneath foliage, even then. Flowers are a kind of spathe that is typical of the family Araceae and can be found on many other aroid plants. On peace lilies, the flowers are similar but more spectacular.
ZZ Plant (Eternity Plant) Pests and Diseases
When you consider that it is resistant to pests and diseases, caring for an eternity plant couldn’t be easier. Watering problems are usually one of the most common symptoms of illness. Rhizomes of a ZZ plant might become soggy and rotting if they are watered. Cutting back on watering, on the other hand, completely controls this.
Pests such as aphids may sometimes attack your zizi plant. Only if your ZZ is in a container is this typically the case. Indoor zizis are seldom encountered. Little yellow dots on the leaves are caused by the little insects. Sticky fluid on the leaves is another symptom of an aphid infestation. To get rid of the mites, use a combination of liquid soap and neem oil in water.
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas) Propagation
The plant aids in air purification in homes and businesses, therefore propagating it is a good idea. Cutting stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, or using the soil-division technique are all methods to easily propagate a healthy steel plant.
Propagating a ZZ plant in water
Cut a healthy stem from the top of the plant about 6″–12″ (15–30 cm) long to produce a new ZZ from it. Set the jar in a warm, bright area and set the stem in it. Every two to three days, replace the water. Plant the stem in potting soil when you see roots sprouting from its base.
Propagating a Zanzibar gem plant from leaves
The fastest way to grow a fresh ZZ is through leaf propagation. Dry for a few hours a healthy leaf from the stem. Insert the leaf into 1” (2.5 cm) of moist potting soil and place it in a container. Water the small pot occasionally in a warm location. It’s important to have patience while roots develop.
Using rhizome division to propagate a ZZ plant
You may divide the tubers of a big ZZ plant to create a new houseplant if you have multiple rhizomes. To ensure that there is at least one leaf stem on each rhizome, use a knife or cutter to divide it into two or three pieces. After that, gently replant the tubers in fresh well-draining pots.
Is ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas) Poisonous?
Pets (including cats and dogs) and humans may be poisoned by ZITOs, which include poisonous chemicals. The sap of the plant contains harmful substances. As a result, while cutting or trimming the sap, you should avoid touching it. Also, to avoid little children and animals from chewing on the leaves, keep the plant away from them. Calcium oxalate is found in the majority of aroid plants from the Araceae family. Chewing or swallowing any part of the Zamioculcas plant, according to a government website, may cause discomfort, burning, or swelling. Any of the signs listed above should prompt you to visit your doctor right away.
If you have sensitive skin, getting the plant’s sap on your skin might cause contact dermatitis. The plant’s leaves and stems are safe to touch, and they don’t transmit any diseases. ZZ plants and their blooms do not seem to cause cancer, according to the evidence.
According to a research published in 2015, “little or no systematic evidence exists to support this assertion.” Despite this reputation, there are many reasons for having one at home or at work. According to certain studies, Zamioculcas zamiifolia is the most efficient houseplant for removing toxic substances from the air.