ZZ Plant Care

Zamioculcas stores moisture in the lower thick part of the petiole and its other parts. Thus, it is a drought-resistant plant. The soil should dry out from the previous watering to water the plant again. 

Be careful: while the plant will tolerate a bit of neglect, overwatering is the most common reason for its death. Ensure the pot has proper drainage, so excess water will not make the roots rot. Use soft, settled water at room temperature. In summer, watering should be more often, while it is reduced to 1 time per month during the winter.

Pruning is carried out in order to form a crown. To increase the density, it is important to cut the branches correctly. Regular pruning rejuvenates the plant, so it does not have to waste nutrients on unnecessary or diseased leaves.

You may want to nourish your ZZ plant once every 15 days from the second half of spring until the end of summer. Use succulent and cacti fertilizers.

A bright place with diffused lighting will be great for your Zamioculcas. In summer, ZZ Plant prefers outdoor accommodation - on the balcony, in the garden, etc. In winter, you will have to move the plant closer to the window. Speaking of the window, Western or Eastern windows are best suited. On the south side, it will need a shade. Otherwise, burns will appear on its leaves from direct sunlight.

The soil for this plant can be prepared independently from equal parts of leafy, turfy land, peat, and sand, or you can use a ready-made commercial substrate for growing succulents or cacti. The most important requirement for the soil for Zamioculcas is the looseness and good air permeability, combined with a neutral reaction. Also, be sure to arrange drainage, ¼ of the pot. A suitable substrate should consist of sand, garden, garden, and forest soil (5:2:2:2). A small amount of charcoal is added to the finished soil mixture.

Reproduction occurs by dividing the bush, leaf, cuttings. Let the leaf dry a bit before planting. It is desirable to root cuttings or a leaf with soil heating and with the use of phytohormones, for better root formation. Rooting can take up to 2 months.

This flower belongs to heat-loving crops; therefore, the temperature is considered optimal for its cultivation from 18 ° to 26 ° C (64-79 F). In winter, when the flower is in a state of relative dormancy, it needs a lower temperature of about 15 ° C (59 F). Zamioculcas loves fresh air, but consider removing it from direct drafts.

Transplantation and feeding should be distinguished from the activities for the care of this tropical plant. 

Young specimens of Zamioculcas have transplanted annually in the spring, and older plants are repotted occasionally. Sometimes, it is enough to change the top layer of soil. When choosing a pot for this plant, consider that Zamioculcas grows rather slowly; only several new leaves grow in it per year. Therefore, the new pot should not be much larger than the previous one.

Attention! The planting depth in the new pot must be identical to the planting depth in the old one. Otherwise, when the growth point is deepened, it will rot.

ZZ is the abbreviation for Zamioculcas Zamiifolia. It’s also called “Zanzibar Gem”.