Zamioculcas zamiifoliaZanzibar Gem

Zamioculcas zamiifolia, the Zanzibar Gem or ZZ Plant, sends up stiff, upright, glossy dark green pinnate fronds from a fat underground rhizome that stores water. The result is a plant that looks polished and deliberate, holds that appearance in genuinely poor light, and survives being forgotten for months.

It is the most forgiving interior plant in general specification, and outdoors in a warm climate it takes deep shade in a planter or a shaded courtyard bed.

Specifications

• Height0.6 to 1 metre
• Width0.6 to 1 metre
• Native toEastern Africa, from Kenya to South Africa
• FoliageUpright, glossy, dark green pinnate fronds arising from a fleshy underground rhizome; evergreen
• Growth rateSlow

Conditions

• SoilRequires free-draining soils or a gritty potting medium; rots quickly in wet ground
• LightPartial shade to deep shade; tolerates very low interior light
• WaterLow; the rhizome stores water and the plant is far more often killed by overwatering than by drought
• ClimateThrives in tropical and subtropical regions and in interior spaces; frost sensitive

Additional Features

• FormUpright arching fronds from a compact clump, holding a polished appearance without attention
• UsesIdeal for interior landscaping, lobbies and low-light corners, shaded planters and courtyard beds
• SpacingPlant 0.5 to 0.7 metres apart for a continuous mass
• Low MaintenanceWater sparingly, wipe the foliage occasionally and otherwise leave it alone
• Pest ResistanceGenerally resilient; inspect for mealybug where interior air is still
• Drought ToleranceThe water-storing rhizome carries it through long periods without irrigation
• ToxicityAll parts contain calcium oxalate and are irritant if chewed
• VersatilityUsed as an interior specimen, a planter subject or shaded outdoor mass planting

The Zanzibar Gem is the plant specified where maintenance access is poor and the planting still has to look intentional.