Zamioculcas zamiifolia

Zamioculcas Zamiifolia, or the ZZ Plant, makes a cool addition to your house plant collection. They are herbaceous plants which grow to 45 – 60cm tall. They are usually evergreen but can become deciduous during times of drought as a survival tactic; their large underground rhizomes store water until there is rain again.

 

The leaves are pinnate and have between six and eight pairs of smooth, shiny leaflets. ZZ Plant flowers are small, yellowy-brown, and appear from the middle of summer to early autumn. This is a great plant for your home if there is not much bright light as they can cope with those conditions. This plant doesn’t need a lot of water, particularly in winter, because Zamioculcas zamiifolia has a very high-water content in its leaves (91%) which means it can survive for four months without water! You only need to water them when the top two inches of soil in the container are dry. Feed with a liquid fertiliser, but no more than once per month during in spring and summer. For the plant to look its best you should remove faded leaves as required.

 

If it looks dusty, you can gently wipe the leaves with a soft cloth. ZZ Plants have air purifying qualities and are generally not troubled by diseases or pests. This plant could make people and pets unwell if eaten.