ZZ Plant / Zanzibar Gem Care

Introduction

Zamioculcas zamiifolia is also commonly known as the ZZ plant or the Zanzibar Gem. It’s a herbaceous plant which is perennial, having a succulent rhizome. In low water conditions (drought) it becomes deciduous.

The ZZ plant can be one of most ideal plants to be grown in your home because it can survive in low light and can bear negligence whilst still growing at its best.

There was a time when the ZZ plant was only present in huge buildings and malls etc., as it doesn’t demand much effort for maintenance. They require so little consideration and consistently look solid. However, lately, they have discovered their way onto the racks of major home improvement shops and plant stores where anybody can buy these plants. This has prompted numerous individuals in considering how to grow ZZ plants. To cut a short story long it is a plant demanding less care that is capable of giving more beauty to your place.

Other names for the ZZ plant

• Zanzibar gem
• ZZ plant
• Zuzu plant
• Aroid palm
• Eternity plant
• Emerald palm

Morphology/Appearance

ZZ plants have small smooth leaves that are bright lime in color at the start and then becomes green with maturity. Leaves are covered with shiny cuticles and the stems are thick at base. The cuticle layer of leaves give them their beauty and they shine as if they have been varnished.

How to take care of your ZZ plant

If you are having a busy schedule and often forget to water your plants and still want some kind of species that could resist your negligence, it’s absolutely the ZZ plant. 

Water requirements

The ZZ plant doesn’t need much water and it performs well even occasionally forgotten about. It has a good water holding capacity and can survive days and days without watering. Water your ZZ plant when its soil seems to be dried out. It's better to under water than over water, as over watering may cause the tubers to rot.

Temperature maintenance

There no need to worry if the temperature remains above 15°C. Warm temperatures give the ZZ plant the best leaf growth production. An ideal temperature for ZZ plant is in between 18˚C to 26˚C.

Light

Being a true indoor plant, it can survive in low light conditions. It does best with bright to moderate indirect light though. If your plant is getting yellow or having wilting leaves it means it’s getting too high of an amount of light approaching it.

Soil

The ZZ plant doesn’t require any special type of soil for survival. It can grow well in any type of well-drained soil. The ZZ plant grows from rhizomes. When we do our watering of this plant, it has amazing ability to absorb water so it does not require any kind of soggy or damp soil.

Does it require a special pot?

No, the ZZ plant does not require any special pot. The most ideal approach to decide whether the pot size is ideal or not is to is to intermittently remove the plant and soil ball from the holder it's planted in. On the off-chance that it appears root-bound or the rhizome is contacting, or inside one inch of the pot divider, it's an ideal opportunity to graduate it to the following size up. A pot only a few inches bigger in measurement ought to get the job done when repotting a ZZ plant.