If you are too lazy to take care of your houseplants but also want one, ZZ plant is just the plant you should propagate. It is a houseplant that thrives even in neglect and is the easiest to propagate of all the houseplants.
With a botanical name, Zamioculcas zamiifolia, ZZ plant is a lush tropical perennial that adapts well to irregular watering and doesn’t seek a specific range of light for growth. It’s bright and shiny green leaves can fit in all spaces.
You may find them to be slow growers, but they are highly low-maintenance and adaptable. We are here with everything you should know about how to propagate ZZ plants. It is a perfect choice for amateur gardeners growing their first houseplant!
How to propagate ZZ plant?
There are various ways to propagate ZZ plant – from stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, by vision, and in water. You can try out the most suitable of these ways and have a beautiful houseplant with dark green leaves and reaching a height of 2-4ft.
It has long, spreading compound leaves that are composed of small leaflets. The leaflets arise from the central shoot that grows directly from the soil. The plant is known to improve air quality in the surrounding.
Let’s earn about the various ways of propagating ZZ plants.
How to propagate ZZ plant from stem cuttings?
To grow your ZZ plant faster, stem cuttings is the best way for propagating. Read on for a step-by-step guide on propagating ZZ plants from stem cuttings:
- Cut off a stalk from the base of the houseplant.
- Make a straight cut using a sharp sanitized knife.
- Place the cut stalk/stem in water.
- Keep changing the water every three or four weeks.
- Place the cutting close to a window for bright and indirect sunlight.
- When you see the stem cuttings growing into a rhizome, and there’s an inch of roots visible, know that you must repot!
To repot your ZZ plants, follow these steps:
- Drainage is essential. So, take a grower pot or nursery pot having drain holes. You can also use a pot with a saucer and drain holes.
- Put two inches of potting soil in the pot to give the roots some room to grow.
- Place the rooted stem cuttings into your pot with soft presses to help the soil settle.
- You can add multiple stems in the pot. It will look like the original plant you get at the stores!
- Add some more soil around the stem for support.
- Once all the stem cuttings are placed in the soil, fill the pot with soil up to its rim.
- Make sure to water your ZZ plant thoroughly and evenly across the diameter.
Note: Optimum sunlight is the best way to help ZZ plants grow faster. In case you forget to change the water, it’s fine until you see mold growth.
How to propagate ZZ plant from leaf cuttings
Leaf cuttings take longer for root development as compared to stem cuttings, but it’s still a popular way of propagating ZZ plants.
Here’s how to do it:
- Cut off a fresh leaf that’s close to the stalk. Also, take a little bit of stem with the leaf.
- Put the leaf’s stem in the potting mix – one centimeter deep.
- You should take multiple leaf cuttings as one leaf in a pot won’t look good.
- Water the pot and let the leaves soak well.
- Maintain frequent watering every two weeks as the soil dry.
- When propagated from leaf cuttings, ZZ plants start growing in three months.
How to propagate ZZ plant by division
If the ZZ plant you bought is healthy and large, you can split it to propagate. We are talking about propagating ZZ plants by division. The process results in two or more smaller plants based on the size of the original plant (mother plant) and the number of new rhizomes you wish to have.
Here’s how to propagate ZZ plant by division:
- Make 2-3 grower pots ready with fresh soil/potting mix.
- Remove the mother plant carefully from its pot by keeping the container on its side and pulling the pot away while grasping the base of the ZZ leaves gently.
- If it seems difficult, you can use a digging knife to loosen the soil around the roots.
- With the base of the plant grasped gently in one hand, loosen the root ball with the other while removing excess soil.
- Use a utility knife or pruner to cut away any shriveled or rotten roots.
- Check for any natural points of division on the root ball. This way, you will have to make minimum cuts for the division.
- To cut, carefully slid the utility knife through the rhizomes and root ball (as clean as possible) at the separation points you inspected.
- Now, pot all the sections in a well-sized container having fresh soil.
- Water until the soil is moist and well-settled, and care for the plant as it grows.
Note: Propagating ZZ plants by division should be used once in a few years as dividing immature or small rhizomes may cause damage.
How to propagate ZZ plant in water?
Like you can grow avocado from seed, you can also try your hand in propagating ZZ plants in water from leaves. Read on for the step-by-step process:
- Pluck one or more leaves from a healthy stem of your mature ZZ plant.
- Keep the leaf in a shallow glass with water (with the cut portion in water).
- You can use wooden toothpicks to keep the leaf in a stable position (avoid using copper wires).
- Replace and add fresh water to keep away from algae and mold.
- You will see roots and tuber growing.
- Plant it in the soil when rootlets reach a length of one inch.
Note: You can use wood charcoal in the glass to protect the leaf against algae or mold.
What are the ideal growing conditions for ZZ plant?
As afore-mentioned, ZZ plants is a low-maintenance houseplant that can thrive in low-light spaces and is adaptable to less watering too. However, there are a few things that your ZZ plant would love when taken care of.
You should grow the rhizome in an area with bright, indirect sunlight for faster and better growth. An east-facing (gets optimum morning light) or a north-facing window are good options to propagate ZZ plants.
Plant the rhizome in an all-purpose potting mix that is well-drained or a growing medium with 3 parts of all-purpose mix and 1 part of succulent soil mix.
When it comes to temperature levels, ZZ plants love being in temperature above 65 degrees Fahrenheit (make sure it’s not below this). The houseplant can also adapt to lower-humidity spaces indoors.
How to take care of ZZ plant?
Though ZZ plant doesn’t require you to follow any strict caring guidelines, there are a few things to note, such as:
- All the soil to dry before watering the houseplant again. Too much or too less water for the plant can be an issue as the rhizomes store water under the soil to tolerate a drought phase.
- In the case of yellowing of leaves, or you notice the green leaves dropping, try minimizing the amount of water or the plant may end up rotting due to excessive moisture in the soil.
- Keep the plant away from small kids or pets as its leaves are toxic when ingested.
- Check for moisture regularly, and water it after full growth to avoid dormancy.
- Repot the houseplant when you notice signs like the browning of leaves, root-bound, root growing out of the drain holes or the plant dries out very fast.
Conclusion
ZZ plants are houseplants that beginners can easily grow without many complications. It is a rhizome that adapts to different growing conditions with ease, and allows you to add to the beauty of your interior. We hope you are now well aware of how to propagate ZZ plant.
While ZZ plants are grown for foliage, the mature ones produce small flowers on a pale yellow or white spadix surrounded by a pale green spathe. You will see flowers growing on the base of the leaves in early fall or midsummer.
Tell us your experience of propagating ZZ plants in the comments section below!
