The ZZ plant or Zamioculcas zamiifolia belongs to the Araceae family. Native to South Africa, it is an ornamental houseplant with deep green glossy leaves that reflect sunlight. As it tolerates low light, dry surroundings and purifies the air, growing it indoors makes a lot of sense.
All these benefits make this plant expensive, and if you’re not willing to shell out your hard-earned money, you can start ZZ Plant Propagation at home after knowing these tips.
Check out our article on ZZ Plant benefits here
ZZ Plant Propagation
Let’s have a detailed look at the most popular ways to propagate a ZZ Plant.
1. Growing ZZ Plant from Division
The quickest way to multiply a large and full-size ZZ plant is by division. This way, you can have 2-3 more plants, depending more on the size of the mother plant.
- Carefully remove the mother plant from the soil. It is better if you’ll wear gloves to protect your hands from their irritating sap.
- Also, make sure the soil is neither too moist nor too dry when you start the division.
- Gently tap the root ball to remove excess soil. Trim the rotten or dead roots, if any, using a shear.
- Look for any natural points of division in the root ball. This will allow you to make fewer cuts to the plant.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the rhizomes from which the roots are emerging. Make sure each section has its share of roots and sets of leaves to survive.
- Plant each section in a pot filled with a regular houseplant potting mix and water thoroughly.
For more information, watch this tutorial video here
2. Growing ZZ Plant from Stem Cuttings
You can propagate the cuttings of the ZZ plant in both soil and water. It is also the fastest way to grow the plant.
Propagating ZZ Plant Cutting in Water
- Using a shear, snip off 5-8 inches long cutting with top leaves from the plant. Make sure to cut it at a 45-degree angle.
- Now, position the cutting in a transparent jar or glass filled with room temperature water.
- Make sure to change the water every 5-7 days or whenever it becomes hazy.
- Keep this cutting in indirect sunlight. You can also expose it to 2-3 hours of the morning sun to encourage growth.
- Keep a close eye on the base of the cutting. When you notice that it has developed an inch of roots, you can then transplant it into the soil.
Note: Propagate 3-4 cuttings in water for a better success rate.
Start growing indoor plants from cuttings in water with these Propagation Station Ideas here
Propagating ZZ Stem Cutting in Soil
Propagating ZZ plant from stem cuttings is not comparatively that much easy and successful method as the division, but it works:
- Cut off 5-7 inches of healthy stems from the plant with two to three leaves on them. Let their cut end dry off in a cool and dry place for a few hours.
- Now, dip your cuttings in a rooting hormone and pot them individually or together in small 3-4 inches containers filled with a soilless mix.
- You can also use half perlite and half peat for a medium or grow them in just coconut coir.
- Don’t place the pots in an area that gets harsh sunlight.
- Keep the soil slightly moist all the time without making it waterlogged. The cutting will start new growth in 60-90 days.
Note: You will see much better results in temperature around 70-85 F (20-30 C).
3. ZZ Plant Propagation from Leaf Cuttings
The ZZ leaf propagation method will test your patience, and it’ll take time to grow into a new plant, but that’s an easy way too:
- Snip off a few healthy leaves with 2 inches of stems attached to each of them.
- Let the cut ends heal for several hours or up to a couple of days so that they form a callus.
- Mix some potting mix in a pot and insert the leaves in a standing position. Avoid burying too deep.
- Because ZZ is succulent, you should not keep the soil saturated. Just mist the growing medium regularly to maintain slight moisture when you see it getting dried.
- If you’ve got a greenhouse, shift the pot there. This way, leaves will develop into new plants in 4-6 weeks.
- You can also keep that in a shady spot, but you may see results a bit late if the temperature is not around 80 F (27 C).
4. Growing ZZ Plant from Seeds
ZZ plant’s seeds are rare to find. It is the least common way to propagate it, which is why it’s better if you grow it from cuttings or division.
How to Re-pot the Cuttings
Once your cuttings grow roots, follow these tips to re-pot them successfully:
- Make sure your pots have enough drainage holes because this succulent plant hates waterlogged soil.
- Use a well-draining potting mix–any soilless succulent mix would be a good start. You can also make it at home with the recipes here.
- You may need to support the plant as well with a bamboo stick or something similar.
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