Zamioculcas zamiifolia
Common name: ZZ plant · Zanzibar gem · Eternity plant
Zamioculcas zamiifolia is a succulent-like perennial native to drought-prone eastern Africa, from Kenya to South Africa. Its glossy, pinnate leaflets grow on upright stems that emerge from large underground rhizomes, which store water and allow it to survive long dry spells. It is one of the most drought- and shade-tolerant houseplants available.
Care summary
Sun
Low to bright indirect light
Water
Sparingly; let soil dry out completely
Soil
Fast-draining cactus or succulent mix
Hardiness
Zones 9–11
Mature height
About 45–90 cm (1.5–3 ft)
Pet safe
Toxic to cats and dogs if ingested
Difficulty
Easy
Propagation
Divide the rhizome clump at repotting for instant new plants, or take stem and single-leaflet cuttings. Let cut ends callus for a day, then insert them in barely moist, free-draining mix; leaf cuttings are slow, often taking several months to form a rhizome and new shoots.
Fun facts
- It can survive months without water thanks to potato-like rhizomes beneath the soil.
- A single leaflet planted in soil can eventually grow a new plant — slowly.
- It only became a widely sold houseplant in the late 1990s after Dutch nurseries began propagating it.