A ZZ plant is commonly found in an office setting with little light and no fresh air. Zamioculcus zamiifolia, the uncomplaining plant, is also known as eternity plant, fat boy, aroid palm, and a variety of other names. It comes from Africa’s southeast coast and has long been a popular houseplant in the business. The rhizomes of ZZ plants are huge and dense. It’s as simple as separating these to propagate ZZ plants, or you can try rooting leaf cuttings.
ZZ plants can only be propagated by division once in a while. This is due to the fact that the plant generates new rhizomes at a slow rate, and removing them regularly can harm the parent plant. Because rhizomes are sluggish, leaf cuttings are the best source of material for propagation.
Cuttings with just a single leaf and no stem will not root or grow well, but cuttings with two leaves and a piece of stem will root and grow faster than those with just a single leaf and no stem. Professional gardeners use ZZ plant leaf cuttings, which can produce new rhizomes in as little as four weeks when grown in temperatures approaching 80 degrees F (26 degrees C). However, because most of us do not have access to greenhouses, the process could take nine months or longer.
How long does it take ZZ cuttings to root in water?
Cuttings can take a long time to root, despite how easy ZZ plants are to propagate. They can take up to 3 to 4 months even in ideal temperatures and lighting.
However, it’s preferable to wait until they have at least 1″ of roots before potting them up, which can take many weeks.
This process can take up to 9 months if the temperature is below 75°F if there isn’t enough light. So don’t be concerned if they appear to be doing nothing for an extended period of time.
Adding extra warmth and light with a heat pad or a grow light will help them root more quickly.
Will ZZ plant grow back after cutting?
Yes! The leaves of a ZZ plant regrow to their original size. The only stipulation is that you take excellent care of it. Using fertilizer once a month to maintain your ZZ plant healthy and happy is one of the ways you can care for it.
It’s a fantastic idea to prune ZZ plants because they’re known to grow back if they’re clipped or cut. Trim the leaves and remove any dead growth by cutting them off at the base of the stem if the plant starts to seem excessively lengthy.
Can you grow a ZZ plant from the rhizome?
If you have a mature, healthy ZZ plant with more than one bulbous rhizome, you can divide it and repot the rhizomes at the growth separations. This is the quickest and most straightforward way to propagate the ZZ plant.
- Look for separation points on the rhizomes where you can easily divide the plants.
- Remove the dirt from around the roots with your fingertips, allowing you to see the root and rhizome separations.
- Pull the rhizome away from the mother plant by moving the roots apart if feasible. This is perfect.
- If the roots do not split readily with your fingertips, use your sharp sterilized knife to cut the root at the connecting place.
- If you’re genuinely dividing a rhizome, you’ll need the knife. Cut the rhizome with enough on each division to feed the plant when it is repotted in this scenario.
- Before repotting the divisions, let the cut rhizome heal and develop a callous. This could take up to an hour.
- Examine the roots of each division for signs of health. Using sterilized scissors, cut off any black or squishy roots.
How can I make my ZZ Plant grow faster?
ZZ plants are excellent indoor plants since they tolerate low light levels yet grow more quickly in bright indirect light. They also do well under fluorescent lighting, making them a popular choice for office plants. Avoid planting ZZ plants in direct sunlight to avoid burned leaves.
How do I get my ZZ Plant to grow straight?
Succulents native to Eastern Africa include the ZZ. Its semi-arid history has made it tolerant to extended periods of drought and intermittent downpours. The ZZ’s rhizome root system lets it to retain water. It does, however, require some drying time between waterings, as damp soil can cause the rhizomes to rot and disintegrate.
If you see your ZZ plant stems are falling over, the most likely cause is overwatering, which you should examine. Overwatering results in permanently saturated soil, which decreases aeration. This results in roots that are unable to absorb oxygen, resulting in unhealthy roots. Waterlogged soil is ideal for a wide variety of anaerobic bacteria and fungus, which can attack the roots and cause root rot.
When root rot begins, the plant may appear to be in perfect health until the disease has progressed significantly. It may be too late if you detect wilting leaves or ZZ plant stalks that are falling over and drooping.
- Roots that have been afflicted by root rot are mushy and weak, and should be pruned out with sterile pruning shears.
- Repot your ZZ plant into well-draining soil, with plenty of drainage holes and a pot that isn’t too big.
- You should only water your ZZ plant once the potting mix is almost dry after it has been successfully repotted.
- After watering, make sure to empty any excess water from the drip tray or decorative pot a few minutes later.
Underwatering Can Cause Drooping Too
Underwatering, albeit less common, can also cause ZZ plant stalks to topple over, but for a different reason. Your ZZ plant may eventually dehydrate if you fail to water it or if you are very cautious when watering it. The leaves will ultimately dry out, curl, and drop, and the plant stems will droop and fall over, despite the fact that they have held up quite well.
Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this issue. If the soil is completely dry and the leaves are crispy and curled, simply water your plant thoroughly, and the stalks will quickly stand tall once the under-watering has been corrected.
When it comes to watering your ZZ plant, I recommend checking on it once a week. Feel the soil, examine the leaves, and consider the pot’s weight. All of these indicators will let you know when it’s time to water your plant. If you want to learn more about watering your ZZ plant, check out this post.
Don’t only give your plant a small amount of water when it needs to be watered. Soak the soil thoroughly until water drains freely from the drainage holes. I usually water my plants in the sink, ensuring that the soil gets a good soak, and then wait until the excess water has drained from the pot before reinstalling it in its original location.
The frequency with which you should water your plant is entirely dependent on the plant and your growing conditions. A ZZ plant may only need to be watered once a week, or the soil may take up to 4-5 weeks to dry up.
Instead of following any schedule you’ve read, listen to your plant and the soil, and your ZZ plant will thank you. You won’t have to worry about your poor ZZ plant stalks falling to the floor.
What happens if you cut a ZZ plant?
Did you realize that whatever you cut off your ZZ Plant can almost certainly be replanted? Any stems or leaves that are not damaged can be rooted in water or soil and eventually grow into another ZZ for your collection.
The most straightforward method is to propagate stems in water. Remove any stem tips from the plant and place them in small pots of water. Allow them to sit on a window sill in a brightly lit (indirect light only) area, with the water changed weekly. You’ll notice new roots sprouting from the cutting after a few months.
How do you take cuttings from a ZZ plant?
A stem cutting of a ZZ Plant will produce faster propagation outcomes. How to propagate a ZZ Plant cutting is as follows:
Make a straight cut with a sanitized knife at the base of your plant to remove a stalk.
Replace the water every 3-4 weeks after placing the clipped stem in it. It’s fine if you forget, as long as mold doesn’t grow.
Keep the cutting near a window so it gets enough of indirect light. The greatest technique to encourage your ZZ cutting to grow is to expose it to sunlight.
It’s time to repot your cutting once it has developed a rhizome and at least one inch of new roots.
How to take softwood cuttings
- Fill your pots with compost and water them before taking a plant cutting so that they are ready for the cuttings.
- When the plants’ stems are full with water, take cuttings early in the day. To prevent cuttings from drying out, place them in a plastic bag and pot them up as soon as possible.
- Choose a robust side branch with no blooms and cut a portion between 5-10cm (2-4in) length, just below a leaf joint, while taking a cutting.
- Pinch off the growing tip and remove all leaves from the lower half of the cutting.
- Dip the cutting’s bottom end in hormone rooting powder. This promotes root formation and minimizes the danger of bacterial infection.
- Make a hole in the center of the compost with the dibber or a pencil, and insert the cutting so that the lowest pair of leaves is just above the soil level. Compost should be compacted around the cutting.
- Label the pots and either set them in a propagator with a bottom heat of 18-24oC (64-75oF) or cover each pot with a clear plastic bag and place somewhere with bright but indirect light once all of the cuttings have been potted up. For ventilation, open the propagator vents everyday or remove the plastic bags for 10 minutes twice a week.
- Water the compost on a daily basis to keep it moist. It can take anything from six to ten weeks for the cuttings to root. Look for signs of the roots coming through the drainage holes in the pots.
- Harden the cuttings off for two weeks by leaving the pots outside during the day and bringing them in at night.
- Replant the cuttings into larger pots once they’ve hardened off, and grow them on until they’re big enough to plant out.
How to take hardwood cuttings
- Take hardwood cuttings when the plants have lost their leaves and are dormant in the autumn. When it’s cold outside, don’t take cuttings.
- Prepare a narrow trench outside in a sheltered spot if you intend to take several cuttings. The cuttings will be kept in this container for the majority of the following year. Place a layer of sand in the trench’s base to ensure proper drainage, then backfill with soil mixed with compost. You can use pots filled with a 50/50 mix of multipurpose compost and grit if you only need a few cuttings or don’t have enough area for a trench.
- Choose a sturdy, pencil-thick woody shoot that has grown in the current year and cut it off close to the base of the shoot to take a plant cutting.
- Remove the shoot’s tip and cut it into 15-30 cm (6-12in) lengths. Using a slanting cut, cut slightly above a bud at the top of each length. This protects the cutting from rain and serves as a handy reminder of which end of the cutting is which.
- Place the cuttings’ lower ends in the trench or pots so that one-third of each cutting is above the soil level. In trenches, space cuts 15cm (6in) apart.
- Leave the cuttings in the trench or in pots until next autumn. During dry periods, water the compost to keep it from drying out.
- The cuttings can be replanted in their final positions once they have rooted.
What are the best plants to take cuttings from?
There are many acceptable plants to pick from once you know how to take a cutting from a plant. Many fragile plants, such as pelargoniums, petunias, verbena, argyranthemums, and osteospermums, benefit from softwood cuttings. Many deciduous shrubs, such as lavender, rosemary, forsythia, fuchsias, hydrangeas, lavatera, and buddleja, can be cut for softwood cuttings.
Most deciduous shrubs and roses, as well as climbers like honeysuckle and grape vines, and fruit bushes like blackcurrants, redcurrants, gooseberries, and figs, benefit from hardwood cuttings.
Taking plant cuttings is a simple and pleasurable approach to expand your garden’s plant population. Why not give it a shot?
Should ZZ rhizomes be exposed?
Due to dirt being washed away from regular watering, the root bulb or rhizome of a ZZ plant might become exposed over time. If your ZZ plant becomes root-bound over time, the roots may become exposed. An exposed rhizome/root bulb isn’t always indicative of a sick plant.
If you water your ZZ plant from the top, the roots may become exposed. When you water your plant, some soil is carried away from the soil surface. You can avoid this by watering your plant from the bottom or adding a little water at a time.
It’s also a symptom that your plant has become rootbound and has to be repotted if the roots become exposed. Slide your plant out of the pot gently and look at the roots to determine if they are securely curled around the pot’s inside. If necessary, repot to promote healthy development.
Fill the pot to the level of the base of the stalks when planting your ZZ plant, just covering the rhizome with soil. Avoid potting too deeply it’s best to leave a little root bulb visible than to bury the stems, which can lead to stem rot.