ZZ Plant
ZZ Plant is an ornamental in the Araceae family. It grows best in part shade to full shade with dry moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 9-12.
Varieties
1 · sorted by days to maturity▸ZZ Plant
PROPAGATION CATEGORY: Tropical houseplant (division) (not in original seed catalog). Use: Glossy, drought-tolerant, low-light tolerant. Note: Toxic to pets if chewed.
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is a glossy, nearly indestructible houseplant with waxy leaves and water-storing rhizomes that let it shrug off low light and missed waterings.
Growing notes: Botanical name: Zamioculcas zamiifolia|Hardiness zones: 9-12|Propagation: division|Light: Low to bright indirect light|Water: Low|Mature size: 2-3 feet
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Start your free plan →ZZ Plant care at a glance
Thrives anywhere from low light to bright indirect; only harsh direct sun bothers it. With the snake plant, it's the definitive low-light-office plant.
Water thoroughly only when the mix has dried completely — the potato-like rhizomes store weeks of water. When unsure, wait another week.
Any household humidity is fine.
Keep above 55°F — cold damage starts below that.
A well-draining mix cut with perlite or cactus mix; the rhizomes rot in heavy wet soil.
Dilute balanced fertilizer two or three times across spring and summer.
In winter: Monthly at most in winter; a dim, cool ZZ can go 6 weeks easily.
Calcium oxalates throughout — chewing irritates the mouth and gut of pets and people. Contact is harmless beyond mild irritation; wash hands after repotting.
Pet listing per the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants database.
How to propagate zz plant
Division (or slow leaf cuttings)
- Division: unpot and separate the rhizome clumps, each with stems and roots; repot.
- Leaf cuttings: insert single leaflets base-down in barely-moist mix.
- Keep warm and bright; leaflets form a tiny rhizome over 3–9 months.
- Pot up divisions normally — they establish far faster than cuttings.
Common zz plant problems
Why is my ZZ plant turning yellow?
Likely cause: Overwatering, almost always — yellowing stems and leaflets mean the rhizomes are sitting in moisture and starting to rot.
Fix: Stop watering and let the pot dry fully; if it stays wet, unpot, trim any mushy rhizome sections, and repot in dry, fast-draining mix. Resume watering only when bone dry.
Why are my ZZ plant's stalks drooping?
Likely cause: Reaching and flopping toward a distant light source, or the aftermath of watering extremes.
Fix: Brighter indirect light straightens new growth; stake or trim the worst stalks and steady the watering.
Why is my ZZ plant not growing?
Likely cause: ZZs grow in visible spurts a few times a year — long pauses are normal, and low light stretches them further.
Fix: Give it brighter light and a couple of feeds in the growing season, then let it work on its own schedule; new stalks emerge from the soil, not existing stems.
Care profile compiled from extension and horticultural society guidance and the ASPCA toxic-plants list. Conditions vary by home — treat ranges as starting points.
At a glance
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting
No curated care & troubleshooting advice for zz plant yet. Our extension-service library currently focuses on common edible crops; we're expanding it over time.