If you had to describe the perfect houseplant, what would come to mind? Easy-care? Well-behaved? Glossy, green, and stunningly handsome? It turns out, there’s one plant that possesses all these traits and more. It’s Zamioculcas zamiifolia – just ZZ plant to its friends – the attention-grabbing yet quietly confident houseplant that’s a lot harder to pronounce than it is to care for. If you haven’t met yet, it’s time you got to know this favorite of both new plant parents and experienced collectors.
A Plant Named ZZ
The plant that would eventually become Zamioculcas zamiifolia evolved in drought-prone areas of eastern Africa, but it wasn’t until 1829 that botanists first classified it into the genus Caladium. Later, they moved it to Zamioculcas, where it stands alone as the only species in that genus to this day.
The tongue-twister scientific name comes from a couple of sources. The first refers to the way its foliage bears a striking resemblance to members of the genus Zamia, which includes Z. furfuraceae, the cardboard palm – and if you’ve ever seen a cardboard palm, you’ll immediately see the connection. The -culcas part of ZZ plant’s name honors its relationship to Colocasia, another genus in the plant family Araceae, which ZZ belongs to. Peace lily, aglaonema, philodendron, and anthurium are some other plant cousins in Araceae that you might know.
Viral before Viral was a Thing
It wasn’t until more recently – 1996, in fact – that Dutch horticulturists recognized ZZ plant’s potential for houseplant greatness and began large-scale propagation for the commercial market. Once plant enthusiasts got a look at that glossy green foliage and discovered how ridiculously easy it is to take care of, ZZ plant was an overnight star.
ZZ plant has a clean, stylish appearance that makes it an attractive addition to both contemporary and traditional settings. What we see above ground are actually entire leaves growing directly from fleshy, potato-like rhizomes under the soil. Each leaf arches out slightly up to two feet above the pot and sports six to eight pairs of pointed oval leaflets. The classic ZZ plant has deep emerald green foliage with a high-gloss texture that reflects little spots of light, brightening up the space around it. In the Greenhouse, you’ll find them in sizes from a desk-friendly four-inch pot all the way up to a statement-making fourteen-inch container. A newer variety called ‘Black Raven’ has the same brilliant shine but with a deep eggplant purple coloring instead. Our recent supply of this hard-to-find cultivar disappeared quickly from the Greenhouse, but we’re looking forward to seeing them again as soon as we can.
ZZ Defines Easy Care
And as houseplants go, ZZ is as easy-care as it gets. It tolerates low light like a champ, can go weeks without a drink, and only needs the occasional bit of half-strength fertilizer to stay healthy and beautiful. On top of that, insect pests ignore it, and our dry indoor air is never a concern either. About the only way you can hurt a ZZ plant is to love on it too much, so when in doubt, let the soil dry a little more – almost to the bottom – between each watering. ZZ plant is well-mannered too – it’s a slow-grower with no tendencies to trail or spread out into areas you weren’t expecting.
And if being gorgeous and easy to live with wasn’t enough, ZZ plant quietly cares for your health too. A study out of the University of Copenhagen found that ZZ plant is good at removing the common pollutants toluene, xylene, benzene, and ethylbenzene from indoor air.
Just One Little Thing
If there’s anything we can say about ZZ plant that isn’t 100% perfect, it’s that as a member of the Araceae family, its foliage contains calcium oxalate, a compound known to cause stomach upset in pets. So if you have a cat or dog that likes to nibble, we recommend keeping your ZZ plant out of reach.
Come Meet ZZ
If you haven’t graced your plant collection with the stylish, glossy-green good looks that ZZ plant provides, it’s time you took a second look. We promise you’ll love this plant as much as we do. And if you have any questions or need help finding the perfect pot for your new plant friend, just ask. We’re always glad to help.
