Raven ZZ Plant Care and Profile

Instructions

Soil Preference:

1. ZZ plants prefer well draining soil. The roots will rot quickly if they sit in moist soil.
2. A mix of succulent potting mix and perlite will keep the roots happiest.
3. Make sure your pot has drainage at the bottom. Do not use a pot with no drainage hole for this plant.
4. A heavy soil potting mix is not recommended for ZZ plants.

Pot Size and Type:

1. The ZZ plant can grow in many different kinds of pots, I like to plant mine in ceramic pots with a drainage hole.
2. Repot every second year or when roots come out the drainage holes on the pot bottom To the next pot size up. Don't jump to a huge pot from a small one. Just go to the next size up pot.

Lighting:

1. The ZZ plant will grow faster in bright indirect light. It will also grow just fine in lower light conditions, but the growth will be slower.
2. Some filtered sunlight from a window may be appreciated in this circumstance.
3. Make sure the ZZ plant isn't sitting in constant direct sunlight, the leaves can get burnt.
4. If you have a variegated variety, the plant will need more light to hang onto the variegation. Otherwise it can convert back to green,

Watering:

1. Water your ZZ plant when the soil is dry at least an inch down. These plants are typically drought resistant and can withstand longer periods of dryness compared to other houseplants.
2. Watering is best done on a regular schedule so the plant is not over or under watered. Both can cause stress on the plant.
3. The recommendation for watering is every 2-3 weeks.
4. In dormant winter months reduce watering to when the soil is dry.
5. Never let this plant get wet feet. heavy wet soils encourage root rot and fungus gnats.

How to Fertilize:

1. Apply a good quality fertilizer (linked in materials) monthly through Spring and summer.
2. Decrease feedings by late Fall and allow the ZZ plant to rest through the winter months.

Temperature:

1. The ZZ plant will do best in temperatures between 55-85 degrees F.

Pests:

1. The ZZ plant is a hardy resilient plant. However all plants can get attacked by pests.
2. Stress by longterm overwatering, poor light, extreme temperatures and soil conditions are contributors to plant stress..
3. Spider mites, mealy bugs, scale, thrips and whitefly are the most common houseplant pests you will see.
4. Read our post on How to get rid of aphids and other pests with our homemade pesticide soap recipe or neems oil.
5. To minimize the possibility of pests be sure to check all nursery plants before bringing them home.
6. Quarantine all new plants until you are sure no pests live in them.

How to Propagate:

Stem Cutting:

1. Cut stalk near the base of the plant using sterile scissors
2. Place stem in water cut side down
3. Place near a window with bright indirect light
4. After several weeks roots and a rhizome will grow
5. Plant in soil when roots are 2-3 inches long

Rhizome Division:

The easiest way to propagate a mature zz plant is to divide it when it is time for a repotting. Watch my video on dividing and propagating a raven ZZ plant.

1. Gently un-pot your mature ZZ plant.
2. You will see separations of the stems into groups growing out of bulb shaped rhizomes.
3. Gently separate the rhizomes and attached roots from the mother plant. You may have to cut the roots if they are deeply entangled but try not to. Rather gently work the roots away from each other until the rhizomes are separated.
4. Repot both the new division and the mother plant.
5. As you will see in the video there may be several rhizomes growing together in your plant.
6. You can divide the plant into as many small plants as you wish and repot them into several pots.