Caring for Your ZZ Plant: Tips for Growing Zamioculcas Zamiifolia

The slow and low-growing ZZ plant (Zamioculas zamiifolia) is native to eastern Africa. Thick, long and upright stems contain hundreds of narrow, round, glossy dark-green leaves. During the summer, small flowers may bloom at the base of the plant. This plant owes its drought tolerance to large tubers (called rhizomes) that store water and act as a reservoir, feeding the ZZ water as needed. Even though it's a little more expensive than other indoor plants, the easy care and low maintenance inherit in the ZZ plant has made it a favorite in recent years.

Water & Soil

This plant needs soil that can retain water but also drains well. The rhizomes rot when the soil is too soggy so to avoid this, use a cactus soil mix or add perlite or sand to the potting mix.

The ZZ may tolerate drought, but you should still regularly water it to produce the best-looking plant possible. Allow the top two inches of the soil to dry out before watering thoroughly. Although you can get away with consecutively overwatering it a couple of times, be careful: overwatering is one of the only things that can kill this plant.

Lighting & Fertilization

The ZZ plant can grow in either bright, indirect light or low light, but it produces more leaves in brighter light. Too much direct sunlight will burn the foliage.

Feed the Zamioculas zamiifolia with a half-diluted, balanced liquid fertilizer once every season, or only feed it every other month during the growing season with your common houseplant fertilizer at half strength.

Temperature & Humidity

This plant can handle regular household humidity and thrives in the temperature range of 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Its growth starts hindering, however, if temperatures fall below 60 degrees.

Propagation

You can propagate the ZZ plant with leaf and stem cuttings or by breaking away and re-planting the tubers. After propagating, the plant will take a few months before it produces new growth.