Beautiful, Tropical, and Low-Maintenance: The ZZ Plant

THE TED LARE LOOK

ZZ plants, also known as Zamioculcas zamiifolia, have become wildly popular in the social media world of plant addicts thanks to their durability, striking foliage, and low maintenance requirements. With dramatic, dark, tropical leaves that provide texture and visual interest for different areas of your home, ZZ plants can handle almost anything. Even if you have a black thumb, this plant is for you. Find out why everyone needs a ZZ plant and how to care for them below.

Why Is a ZZ Plant Great?

ZZ plants are a lazy plant lover’s best friend. Do you want a sun-loving houseplant for a sunny corner of your home? Do you want a plant that requires indirect light to set in the corner of your bedroom? The ZZ plant is always the answer! Here are the top reasons we love it:

They are extremely versatile and low maintenance.
They thrive well in areas with both low and high amounts of light.
They are adorned with dramatically beautiful thick textured leaves that will set a vibe in your home.
They serve as air purifiers, removing pollutants like toluene, carbon, and xylene from the air.
They are said to bring abundance and luck.

Decorating With Your ZZ Plant

ZZ plants are as easy to decorate with since they can grow well in various light conditions. Depending on what area of your home you want to spruce up, you can hang your ZZ plant from the ceiling or place it on your desk to add an essence of nature to your work environment. They are excellent bedside plants, and you won’t have to worry about remembering to water them as often as other plants. However, it’s best to keep your ZZ plants away from your small children and pets, as their foliage is toxic.

ZZ Plant Indoor Care

Caring for your ZZ plant in Iowa is easy! Hydrate your ZZ plant every few weeks and allow your soil to dry out periodically between waterings. Your plant may require a bit more frequent watering if it is in a brighter area of your home. In darker areas, you can water low-maintenance houseplants like snake plants and ZZ plants as infrequently as once per month. Applying fertilizer every six months (or even monthly during its growth period) will also help your ZZ plant thrive, but it isn’t necessary. We mean it when we say ZZ’s are low maintenance!

These plants can thrive under a wide range of lighting conditions, making them awesome for anywhere in your home. However, they prefer indirect sunlight because direct sunlight can cause leaves to scorch; nobody wants a ZZ with damaged leaves! Dust off its leaves every now and then to keep them looking fresh and shiny and to make sure they can absorb light well.

ZZ Plant Varieties

Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Raven’: A new variety that has dark purple-maroon foliage.
Zamioculcas zamiifolia’ Variegated’: a variety with green leaves that are variegated with yellow and white. These speckles on the leaves fade if the plant does not get enough sunlight. This variety can be more sensitive than others but is still extremely low maintenance.
Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Zenzi’: A new ZZ variety known for its smaller growth habit, making it perfect for small spaces! This little plant reaches a height of approximately one foot, with a chunky stalk and classic ZZ foliage.
Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Lucky Classic’: This variety stands out with feathery-looking leaves and a rounder shape than the others. Flowers may bloom during the spring and summer months.

Visit us at Ted Lare Design Build & Garden Center in Cumming, Iowa, to talk about how a ZZ plant can complement your home.

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The Ted Lare Look

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