Oh the ever so popular ZZ plant! You’ve probably seen the Zamioculcas zamiifolia (commonly known as ZZ Plant) all over social media and there’s a good reason why this indoor plant pops up everywhere! Known for its stunning aesthetic, the ZZ boasts thick, waxy, dark green leaves with a high gloss finish. Talk about natural beauty! But there’s so much more to this plant that makes it a popular plant parent choice… let’s explore.
Origin
Zamioculcas originate from Eastern Africa, which is the main reason they're so easy to care for. To survive the hot and dry weather, zz plants grow from a potato-like bulb called a rhizome. Like a camel, rhizome's store water, which contributes to their easy-to-care-for nature and lets them survive many days without water. Some other common names for the Zamioculcas include Zanzibar Gem and Zuzu plant. But at Plantsome, we call him Luke.
Genus
Unlike other plants featured on our plant spotlight, the Zemioculcus genus consists of only one plant: the zamioculcas zamiifolia or zz plant, of course! So family gatherings for zz's like Luke, Dalton, and Lucky are quite small. But hey, at least they have each other!
"Don't you know that you're toxic?"
It's true. Just like the hit song, zz plants are also toxic. But they're not as bad as people think. A common myth about zz plants is that they're so poisonous they can cause cancer. Fortunately, this is far from true.Zamioculcas are very safe to have inside the house, they certainly don't cause cancer, and they're only dangerous if ingested. Keep in mind though, pets and small children love to eat everything, so zz plants are not recommended for any other parent besides a plant one.
A breath of fresh air
Zamioculcas was one of many plants featured in a NASA study that looked at the most air-purifying plants. It found that certain plants like zz plants, and their distant cousin the peace lily, have the ability to remove harmful toxins like xylene and toluene from the air. To learn more about other air-purifying plants, read our past blog!
So why all the hype?
To put it bluntly, these guys are great options for beginners or, do we dare say it? ...Neglectful plant parents. Plant parents love ZZs because they’re a super chill plant that requires very little maintenance. Basically, it thrives when you ignore it.
The ZZ prefers medium to low indirect sunlight, do not place in direct sunlight.
ZZ Plant Fun Fact:
It wasn’t until the mid-1990’s that the ZZ plant became more widely known and seen for sale. Dutch nurseries in South Africa saw the plant’s potential, started propagating the plant and began distributing the plant worldwide.
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