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Zamioculcas zamiifolia
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Posted by Brooks (Threelittlebrs@aol.com) on Mon, Dec 25, 00 at 8:06
If you don't have a zz plant, please get one. That is, if you enjoy tough indoor plants that actually look good and grow in low light (they also work in almost any other lighting save direct afternoon sun), don't mind low humidity at all, rarely need water, look amazingly beautiful (prehistoric feel with amazing tubers), are slow growers, and are very resistant to pests.
BTW, they also propagate easily from leaf cuttings. Good luck in your search!
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
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I got a plant as a X-mas present, and all I know about it is it's name is zamioculcas or zamiaculcas.
Now, I'm in a trouble, because I'm not quite green-thumbed person and I don't know anything about my dear plant! Please, you seem to know something about it, could you or anybody else help me?! p.s I'm sorry because my language, I'm not English.
RE: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
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Hi Brooks,
I got one!!!! I was at our local "Home Depot" store today, and they had Zz plants advertised for 16.50 Swiss Francs( about 9 dollars)!!! I just had to have it! I won't tell you about the other 4 plants that I bought today, though..lol
Running out of space,Gwist :)
RE: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
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Brooks, you are so bad, its sad enough you have me hunting all over for one, and now your spreading the word to everyone! No wonder i can't find any! LOL
RE: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
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O.k., Brooks,
I thought you can give me a bit of advice on my new Z.z plant. It is still in it's 4" pot,but bulging!! Should I re-pot it, or do they like to be very root-bound? And when I do re-pot it,should I do it now, or wait until Spring? It seems to be happy, but maybe it would be happier in a bit more space! Thanks for your help,Gwist
RE: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
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I got one plant last spring and it put new leaves shortly after. Now it has new buddies. Is it normal? And, what should I do when the house will be heated? Should I put it in another place without heating?
I'll be very grateful for any suggestion.
Sorry, for my English, I'm writing from Italy.
Thank you, Ynaddas |
RE: Zamioculcas zamiifolia new ?'s
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| Got a fascinating plant at Home Depot just labeled "Tropical" with medium-eveything-instructions, no one at the store knew what it was, but I wanted it anyway (you know how it is). It immediately started to yellow and drop leaves, but I couldn't find any reference to it or anything like it at the library. Found more at White Rose Nurseries, just called "ZZ Plant", but no one there knew what it was or how to look after it either. Their head office finally gave me the latin name and the rather odd instructions that it would take frequent watering or none at all for months, didn't care if it got full sun or full shade, was the next best thing to a plastic plant. Not much help. Meanwhile at home, all the poor thing's roots have rotted off (I watered it once, but really well; no, I didn't leave it sitting in water) and I have only 5 "stems" remaining of the original dozen or so. Could somebody give me the basics on (a) what this really is and (b) how to look after it? I can't post a picture (no camera), but my plant is is about 12" to 14" high, individual stems growing in clumps from the soil, stems swollen in the bottom half to third of their length, two rows of glossy, medium-thick leaves at about a 90 to 110 degree angle to each other. There was a tuber, has since rotted away; there were also watery roots (like bean sprouts) mostly also gone, but I think it's growing new ones. Can this poor plant be saved??? |
RE: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
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| Just got this reacton to a post I just placed regarding my mystery plant just solved! ---------------------------------------------------- The plant looks like a Zamioculcas zamiifolia, or ZZ plant. They need a soil mix with excellent drainage, and they can rot easily if they soil mix is too dense or if they get too much water. They do best if they get quite dry between waterings. If all the stems (petioles, technically) are soft, your plant is probably in serious trouble, I'm sorry to say. If some are still firm, I'd take the plant out of the pot, cut away any mush parts of the tuber and roots, dust cuts with sulfur to discourage further rot, and re-plant in a very well-aerated, quick-draining mix. Perlite or pumice added to a commercial cactus & succulent mix would be good.
If all the leaves are going soft, you can still probably propagate the plant from a leaflet set in nearly-dry mix, and misted occasionally to keep it from desiccating before it roots. It's a very slow process, I'm told, though I have't propped mine.
Best of luck! |
RE: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
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Hi -- I just bought a ZZ plant from my excellent local nursery, and was trying to find the formal name. Now I know!
The one I bought (on sale for $12.49) is extremely healthy and the tuber is beginning to bulge out of the plastic pot. I was told to wait till spring to repot it.
I have had very good results with low-moisture house plants (except for cyclamen), and this one makes a striking appearance in a narrow gold-colored metal pot on the floor under a long, thin print of a purple iris. The effect is sort of Japanese. |
RE: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
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| Part of the information above is not scientifically correct. According to the very technical scientific text The Genera of Araceae by Dr. Simon Mayo of the Royal Botanic Garden Kew in London, J. Bogner and P.C. "Pete" Boyce (all botanists) this plant comes from Tanzania and close by countries in southern Africa. It grows in a region on rocky lightly shaded terrain that has a distinct wet and dry season. During the wet season it is extremely wet and does not mind that condition at all. It does, as was stated, need extremely porous soil in order to survive. The plant is an aroid (Araceae) and reproduces by producing a spathe and spadix somewhat similar to a Peace Lily. Many tropical botanical gardens are now growing this species within their tropical atrium in what most growers would consider very wet conditions. That simulates the wet rainy season in Africa. The plant does not seem to care. I have been growing one in an enclosed tropical atrium in the ground for 3 years with no ill effect. The trick? It is in very porous soil that drains quickly. A sandy soil mixture is necessary but in these conditions the plant will grow larger and more beautiful that almost any seen growing in totally dry conditions. I have written an article in consultation with one of these botanists as well as the curators of several botanical gardens. You will likely be very surprised to learn about this plant from a scientific point of view. The link is below |
Here is a link that might be useful: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
RE: Zamioculcas zamiifolia
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| Ummmmm....what can you suggest for a plant that grows well under the same conditions that is NOT a ZZ plant? I love most house plants, but I've never been able to get into these. They hit an "irritant" spot about as much as crotons do. Any other suggestions? Thanks. Verdant Croft |
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