Zamioculcas

Family. Araceae.

Homeland. The plant originates from East Africa and grows in semi-shaded foothills with poor soil, where the climate is arid.

Description. Zamioculcas is a slow growing herbaceous perennial evergreen plant. The full name of the plant is Zamioculcas zamiaefolia due to its resemblance to zamia.

The stems are tall, powerful, dark green with many glossy, fleshy, elliptical leaves, arranged oppositely or alternately in 2 rows. In fact, the division into leaves and stems is conditional - both stems and leaves are very large modified compound leaves.

The leaves are up to 10 cm long and about 3 cm wide, arranged in opposite pairs. Often young leaves, with their powerful growth, literally push away old ones.

The flowers are small, inconspicuous, collected in an inflorescence - a spadix surrounded by a spathe; flowering often goes unnoticed. Only old plants bloom; after flowering they can shed their leaves.

As a storage organ, the plant has small, light brown tubers in the root system, reminiscent of potatoes.

This plant develops interestingly - it does not produce individual leaves, but young branches with leaves immediately appear from the ground.

The first name of the plant is Caladium zamifolia.

Height. Zamioculcas flower can grow up to 1 - 1.5 m. tall, but it develops very slowly and will reach its final size within a few years.

Zamioculcas care at home

Reproduction 

By dividing the rhizomes of adult plants during transplantation or by leaf cuttings.

Vegetative propagation by leaves or cuttings takes a fairly long period of time, but is often successful.

1. The cuttings are powdered with growth hormones, the cut area is slightly dried and placed in the soil at a shallow depth.
2. Rooting of shoots takes a very long time - up to one year; it will be considered successful only with the beginning of new growth - young leaves will appear near the cuttings.
3. The cuttings are kept in shade from direct sunlight.
4. It is advisable to use bottom heating and growth hormones during vegetative propagation.

If agricultural techniques are followed, up to 95 percent of cuttings will root successfully.

Leaf cuttings also root successfully in ordinary water, and the cutting can be separated either with a piece of the stem or simply with the petiole.

1. The cut areas are dried in the open air for several hours and the bases are powdered with growth hormones. 
2. In order to speed up the rooting process, choose an opaque vessel, and the cutting itself is placed in a cardboard circle with a slot - roots appear faster in the dark.
3. The water is changed weekly, and charcoal is added to it to avoid rot.
4. The first signs of new growth will appear within about 2 months.
5. Plants rooted in water slightly slow down their development when planted in the ground - their root system needs time to adapt to new conditions.

When rooting leaf cuttings in the ground, watering during the first time can be replaced by spraying.

The cutting is immersed in the substrate to about a third of its height.

Moisten the soil well and cover the plant with plastic wrap or transparent plastic to maintain moisture.

This method of propagation is considered the longest - from planting to the appearance of the first signs of new growth it can take up to six months.

The tubers of the plant can be divided if they have several growing points - they should remain at each division.

The tuber is divided only with a sharp, sterile instrument, and the cut areas are slightly dried and sprinkled with crushed charcoal for disinfection.

After planting in fresh nutritious soil, in a new pot, zamioculcas is watered only after 5 - 7 days.

Transplantation of zamioculcas

Replant zamioculcas  in the spring into nutrient soil with a good layer of drainage material at the bottom of the pot.

On average, adult plants are replanted every 2 - 3 years - a pot that is deformed or even torn by powerful roots will indicate the need for another replantation.

It is quite difficult to remove plants from the old soil before transplanting - it is so tightly entwined with roots. Such specimens can be soaked in water for a while or removed by carefully pressing the walls of the pots with your hands and tapping on the bottom.

If the plant has been soaked, it should be thoroughly air-dried before planting. If soaking does not help, then simply cut the walls of the pot.

Accordingly, for planting it is also worth choosing a plastic pot with thin walls - it will be easier to cut it later.

If the flower  looks good and its condition does not cause concern, then instead of replanting, you can use gentle transshipment. With this method of moving, the plant is placed in a new pot along with an old lump of earth.

After transplantation, a fairly large increase is observed.

1. It is better to choose a pot for zamioculcas that is a little cramped - narrow and deep; sometimes plants are even capable of breaking the pot with their powerful root system. When planted in a wide container, the bush will fall apart over time.
2. The diameter of the flowerpot should be approximately 3 - 5 cm larger than the root ball. In a large container, the development of the plant will accelerate, but rot may occur from a large volume of unused substrate that retains moisture.
3. The bottom of the pot should have large drainage holes and a thick layer of drainage.
4. When planting, you should not bury the tubers in the ground - the optimal growth points should be at ground level.
5. During transplantation, damaged and rotten roots are cut off with a sharp sterile instrument, and the cut areas are treated with crushed charcoal.

If the tuber rots, then the affected tissues are scraped out to healthy ones and the wound surface is also treated with charcoal or a fungicide.

It is better not to plant such specimens immediately in the substrate, but to leave them to air dry for about one day. 

After transplantation, watering is stopped for 5 - 7 days. 

When it blooms

 Summer. The flowering period at home occurs quite rarely.

Land for zamioculcas

 Overwatering can kill zamioculcas.  Add a sufficient amount (up to 30 - 40% of the total volume) of coarse river sand, vermiculite or perlite to improve drainage.  The soil must not only be moisture-permeable, but must also allow air to pass through to the roots of the plants.

Expanded clay should not be used as drainage - it is capable of accumulating moisture and gradually releasing it - in the case of zamioculcas, this property will contribute to rotting of the roots.

Use well-drained soil with a slightly acidic or neutral pH of about 6.0 for growing; a ready-made mixture for cacti is suitable.

The soil can be composed of turf, humus soil with the addition of leaf and peat. Plants develop successfully even in soil poor in nutrients.

You can pick up ready-made soil mixtures for cacti and succulent plants at a flower shop.

How to care for indoor flowers

Zamioculcas is not a demanding houseplant; it can be put in a closet and taken out after a few months in the same condition.

The plant will appreciate being outdoors during the warm season, protected from direct sunlight, strong wind and, of course, rain. Place the bush under cover from strong wind, rain and in the shade from direct sunlight.

Zamioculcas does not need pruning as such - remove only the leaves that have turned yellow at the base. Trim damaged and old leaves at the base with a sharp sterile tool so as not to leave unsightly stumps.

Periodically wipe its shiny leaves from dust with a damp sponge.

During the dormant period, the plant may stop growing for several months.

Zamioculcas tends to reach for a light source - turn the pot a quarter turn every week - this way the plant will remain symmetrical.

The leaves of the plant can bend at the base under their own weight and almost fall to the floor - put a support under them.

Watering

Water sparingly throughout the year, preferably with soft water. Allow the soil to dry out before the next watering to a depth of 3 - 5 cm.

In winter, reduce watering so much that the earthen ball does not dry out completely. Too wet wintering can lead to rot.  The thick stems and leaves of the plant, as well as the underground nodules in the root system, help retain moisture.

Zamioculcas grows faster in good lighting, so the frequency of watering will also depend on the lighting conditions and temperature conditions - the less light and the lower the temperature, the less frequent the watering.

Excess moisture that appears in the pan after watering should be removed immediately.

In the warm season, about once a month you can give the plant a warm shower, adding water at a temperature of about 30 - 35 degrees Celsius. In this case, the soil should be covered with plastic film so that excess moisture does not get into it.

In general, it is worth remembering that this is a succulent and it is better to underwater it than to overwater it.

Diseases and pests of indoor plants

• The plant rots when it is over-moistened and water stagnates at the roots. at the same time, the lower leaves, as well as young, just emerging branches, turn yellow. Such specimens are taken out of the pot, the excess soil is shaken off and covered with paper towels to absorb excess moisture and left there for several hours to dry. The root system is inspected and diseased and rotten roots are cut off, the cut areas are sprinkled with crushed charcoal, and then the plant is planted in fresh soil.
• With excessive watering, zamioculcas wrinkles - wrinkles appear on shoots and leaves, as well as on club leaves. Dry the plant's soil or replant it with fresh soil, limiting watering.
• With a lack of light, the stems stretch, and the plant slows down its already slow development.
• The leaves become small when there is not enough light.
• The tips of the leaves darken when kept in too dry an atmosphere.
• The leaves fall off when the soil becomes dry for a long time, but they can recover when normal watering is resumed.
• The leaves  turn yellow and curl when exposed to direct sunlight during the daytime in spring and summer.
• Like most aroids, zamioculcas sometimes “cries” - droplets of moisture are released from special glands on the leaves of the plant. Most often, this phenomenon occurs due to waterlogging of the soil.
• With a lack of lighting, the leaves become paler and the branches become taller.
• If the soil dries out for a long time, the stems may become thinner and the leaves may turn pale.
• Shoots and leaves become smaller when there is a lack of light or nutrients in the soil.
• Chlorosis appears when there is a lack of an element such as iron in the soil - the leaf blades become lighter, almost yellow. For treatment, plants are sprayed with iron preparations from a fine spray bottle.
• Diseases caused by fungus appear when the contents are too cool and humid, and there is insufficient air movement. 

Among the pests, zamioculcas can be attacked by mealybugs, thrips and scale insects. The appearance of blurry yellow spots on the leaves can be caused by aphids. Sometimes you can notice a thin, almost invisible cobweb on the bushes - this sign indicates that the plant has been chosen by a spider mite.

Care, how to trim zamioculcas

The plant is extremely unpretentious and will tolerate neglect rather than careful care.

Place the bush in the fresh air in the warm season - in the garden or on the balcony, taking care of shelter from strong winds, rain and direct sunlight.

Carefully trim off old, yellowed leaves at the very base with a sharp, sterile tool to maintain a neat appearance.

The appearance of buds can force the plant to spend too much energy on flowering - experienced flower growers often remove flower stalks.

The large mature leaves of the plant take on impressive dimensions and will need support.

Zamioculcas is unpretentious, however, it should be gradually accustomed to any changes in its contents. For example, if you take a bush out into the open air in the warm season, then first leave it there for several hours and gradually increase the stay time to a day or more.

Fertilizer 

What and how to feed zamioculcas?

Carry out regular feeding with liquid fertilizers for decorative foliage plants or succulents and cacti during the period of active growth - from spring to autumn, approximately once a month. The solution is diluted to approximately half the dosage recommended on the package.

In the winter months, when the plants are dormant, feeding should be stopped and resumed only with the first signs of new growth - in the spring.

Zamioculcas will be grateful for both organic and mineral supplements.

Plants react vigorously to foliar feeding by applying a nutrient solution directly to the leaves using a spray bottle.

Fertilize plants only after watering - if fertilizer gets into dry soil, it can cause burns to the root system.

Remember that zamioculcas is more likely to tolerate a lack of nutrients than an excess.

Temperature for growing zamioculcas

Normal room temperature all year round, zamioculcas develops most actively at a temperature of 25 - 32 ° C. Cooler temperatures will cause it to slow down its growth rate.

During the winter months,  do not expose the plant to temperatures  below 15°C.

The plant can easily tolerate even the most intense summer heat if it is provided with adequate watering and air humidity.

Lighting

Zamioculcas prefers a well-lit location without access to direct sunlight, but can also grow in partial shade.

If the light is too strong, burns may appear on the leaves. If there is a lack of natural light, zamioculcas can also be grown under artificial illumination with fluorescent lamps.

Since the plant is drawn to the light source, for harmonious development it must be rotated around its own axis a quarter turn every week.

Zamioculcas develops very slowly, it can be placed in partial shade for a while, but to maintain an attractive appearance, the plant should still periodically receive slightly shaded sunlight.

In the autumn and winter months, when the sun's activity is minimal and it is often hidden behind clouds, it is better to place the plant closer to the brightest window.

Purpose

An elegant, large and extremely unpretentious plant that is suitable for any interior, and the most important feature will be its unpretentiousness.

According to popular beliefs, the zamioculcas can bring prosperity and financial stability to the house. It is believed that with each twig that appears, money unexpectedly comes into the house - someone pays off old debts, they reward them at work with a bonus.

Unfortunately, this sign also works in the opposite direction - if the leaves on the plant turn yellow, this leads to financial losses.

Spraying

With the heating on, try to increase the humidity by placing the plant pot on a tray of damp pebbles or spraying it with soft water.

Also, to increase air humidity, you can spray the leaves with softened water at room temperature in the morning so that before dusk the moisture has time to evaporate from the surface of the leaves. Remember that you should not use unsettled tap water for spraying - it will leave unsightly whitish spots on the dark leaves of zamioculcas.

Another way is to place a decorative fountain or pond of water near the plant or a simple room humidifier.

In the warm season, the plant can take a warm shower with a water temperature of about 35° C, however, during this procedure, the soil should be covered with plastic wrap, since a large amount of water should not get into it.

After showering, place the plant in a shaded area away from direct sunlight, in a well-ventilated area with sufficient air movement to dry.

Do not expose plants to cold drafts - move them to a separate room for ventilation during the winter months. 

Note

All parts of this plant are poisonous. Keep it away from children and pets.

When working with the plant, remember that its juice can cause skin irritation - use protective gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after contact with the plant.

In a natural environment, with the onset of drought, plants shed their leaves - in this way they protect themselves from loss of moisture, and fallen leaves, upon contact with the ground, take root and give rise to new plants.

It is believed that the dollar tree can purify indoor air from harmful impurities.

Varieties and types:

Zamioculcas Black "Raven"

A variety of indoor plant with glossy, very dark, purple-black leaves. The variety appeared quite recently - just a couple of years ago, but has already gained its fans and in 2018 won first place as the best new product at the International Tropical Plant Exhibition in Fort Lauderdale (USA, Florida). These plants need good lighting, since when grown in partial shade, the color of the leaves becomes standard - green.

Zamioculcas variegated

Beautiful variegated variation. The leaves of plants are unevenly colored - some have leaf blades that are solid green, while others have white, yellowish or light green. Also, on the same plant there can be quite ordinary green leaves and leaves with all kinds of spots and specks on the surface.