what kind of plant is this? whats its id?and what cares does it need and like? thank you for helping Blueeyed1
i just got this plant, it needs to be repotted ,and is very big, how do i trim it back with out killing it?
Re: ZZ Plant Help needed You can trim the plant but the parts you trim won't re-root. If it is root bound repot it in a larger pot with soil that is extremely porous such as cactus soil. If you want try begin new plants you can place some of the leaves you remove on the soil and keep them damp. They will eventually produce entirely new plants. Watering will depend on you. I water frequently and the plant does not seem to care. Others water only when they remember and the plant still doesn't seem to care.
Wow, I figured Photopro or someone else from Aroids would be all over this one. ZZ are fantastic and wierd members of this family; they're unique in that you can actually re-root whatever you cut off, so I wouldn't worry about killing it by trimming. Personally, I'd put it in a standard Aroid-type mix, which is partly soil but mostly bark chips (orchid bark) and mosses. Check out the Aroids forum here on the board for more info there. The forum doesn't support a search on "ZZ Plant" for some as yet unsolved reason, but if you search on the scientific name, Zamioculus zamiifolia, you should get some hits back from other people's posts on the plant.
Sorry about that Lorax! I may be slow on the draw for a month or so since I'm about to have a major surgery. But here goes. The ZZ plant gets its common name from the scientific name Zamioculcas zamiifolia Engl. The plant is an aroid and it is one of the most unusual of all aroids. Popular aroid species contain Philodendron, Anthurium and other similar popular collectable plants including Alocasia sp. The species is also sometimes known by the synonyms Zamioculcas loddigesii, Zamiacaulcas zamiafolia, Zamioculcas lanceolata, and strangely Caladium zamiaefolium but the common names are Aroid Palm, Arum Fern, Money Plant, or simply ZZ Plant. On the UBC forum the plant is difficult to find with the search engine since the search can't find words less than 5 letters. Thus ZZ won't show up. The "ZZ" plant is an unusual aroid from Zanzibar and Tanzania in eastern Africa. This strange plant has many different sizes which is why it has several different scientific names. Botanists used to think the plants that were taller were a different species than the ones that are small. But size really doesn't matter so the only species name now accepted is Zamioculcas zamiifolia The plant grows with all its glossy leaves facing one direction and is normally found in its natural habitat in dry grassland and lowland forests on rocky lightly shaded terrain. The plant will do well in a tropical setting as well and botanists have learned the amount of water you offer the plant really doesn't matter. The plant doesn't seem to care if it is grown wet or dry so long as the soil drains quickly. But proper watering appears to be best if some sort of a dry period is included. I personally know of a person in Florida who skipped four months and the plant survived! This aroid likes to be kept wet in summer but prefers drier conditions in the winter in most cases. Propagation can be done from the seeds the plant will eventually produce or leaf cuttings. The plant is an aroid and thus produces an inflorescence including a spathe and spadix and the seeds form on the spadix provided it is pollinated by an insect. You can simply lay a leaf on sandy soil and it will eventually grow a new plant if kept damp. It is the only known aroid which can be reproduced by simply putting a leaf in soil. This characteristic is unknown in aroids other than the Zamioculcadeae. Zamioculcas zamiifolia can tolerate low water, low light and some neglect for periods of time which often serves to make it a good houseplant. That is likely why florists and tropical nurseries have taken to selling the plant. Some sellers will advertise it is a "new plant" but in truth it has been around since the beginning of time. It has only been commercially sold since about 2000 when it was commonly produced via tissue culture (cloned). Experienced growers recommend planting the aroid in very well draining soil similar to cactus soil with plenty of sand added. It is also considered a suitable plant for shaded landscapes or terrariums. However, it is tropical and cannot be grown outdoors in a cold climate. Temperatures much below 50F (10C) will likely harm the specimen. If you do a search with the search engine at the top of this page using the scientific name Zamioculcas zamiifolia you'll find recommendations from quite a few botanists and curators of botanical gardens telling of all the different ways they water the plant. This one is hard to kill!
There pretty common down here all the big box stores carry them. They use them for easy low maintenance landscaping plants …I hope all goes well with your surgery Steve.
Thanks JoAnn. I said that this morning without thinking!! Several people have sent me notes asking if I'm OK, and I am. But since the cat is out of the bag, not to worry. I've had kidney disease for quite a few years and my oldest daughter has been after me to let her give me a kidney, so I'm about to give in and have it done. I'll be out of whack for a few weeks but the doctors are convinced everything will go fine. Kidney transplants are now quite routine. The ZZ is certainly a low maintenance plant and anyone should be able to grow one and keep it healthy with very little maintenance. I would recommend it to anyone! And as for my little operation, that should happen in the next three weeks. Still a few more tests to do. Thanks again!
