ZZ Plant

Botanical Name: Zamioculcas zamiifolia

The ZZ Plant, native to East Africa, is the only species in its genus.  It is an evergreen succulent but will become deciduous during drought. The ZZ Plant’s leaves branch from the stem in a pinnate formation, displaying small oval leaflets which are sometimes thought to be the leaves themselves.  The ZZ Plant flowers with a spike coloured in yellow or brown.

The ZZ Plant flourishes in warm temperatures and should not be kept below 15 degrees Celsius, which makes it unsuitable for those in cooler climates unless they have access to a heating system.  As a tuber, soil must be allowed to dry between each watering to avoid tuber rot, and the ZZ Plant should not receive water when the temperature is cool. The ZZ Plant also likes its soil to be fairly gritty.  Though the ZZ Plant can survive for four months in low light, it will reward its owner if kept in bright, indirect light.