How to Propagate a ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant--Zamioculcas zamiifolia--is a nearly indestructible, slow-growing indoor plant that can survive periods of low light, neglect, infrequent feeding and prolonged dry periods. Native to East Africa, the ZZ plant produces thick stalks and shiny, dark green foliage. It is related to the peace lily, Chinese evergreen and philodendron, and also is known as eternity plant and fat boy. Propagating the ZZ plant is a simple job that requires only a few minutes of time.

Things You'll Need

• Pot with drainage hole
• Commercial potting soil
• Trowel
• General purpose indoor plant fertilizer

Instructions

1. Fill a pot with any good quality commercial potting soil. Use a pot with at least one drainage hole in the bottom.

2. Remove a mature ZZ plant carefully from its pot. Locate the potatolike rhizomes growing at the base of the stalk. Separate a rhizome and stalk from the clump of rhizomes. Work carefully to avoid damaging the rhizome, as a damaged rhizome may cause the plant to rot.

3. Use a trowel to dig a hole in the potting soil and plant the separated rhizome. The rhizome should be planted at the same depth that it was planted in the original container. Re-plant the parent ZZ plant.

4. Place the new ZZ plant in bright, indirect light. Water it deeply, allowing the water to run freely through the bottom of the pot. Water again when the soil is dry. ZZ plant does best when watered once every one to two weeks.

5. Fertilize the ZZ plant once or twice every month. Use a general purpose indoor plant fertilizer diluted to half strength.

Tips & Warnings

• ZZ plant also can be propagated by placing a ZZ plant leaf in a container filled with commercial potting soil. Plant more than one leaf, because this method is undependable. ZZ plant is a slow-growing plant, so plants propagated this way will take several years to reach a significant size.

• ZZ plant is poisonous. Use care when growing ZZ plant around children or pets.

References

• Iowa State University: The ZZ Plant
• University of Illinois Extension: ZZ Plant-- Zamioculcas zamiifolia
• Denver Plants: "Fat Boy" "ZZ Plant" or "Eternity Plant"
• Plant-care.com: ZZ -- Zamioculcas Zamiifolia -- One Year Later