The ZZ Plant is one of my top recommendations when somebody asks for a difficult plant to kill or one that is easy for beginners. This fast-growing beauty tolerates a great degree of neglect and will live happily in every home.
Soil
Almost any well-draining potting mix will treat a ZZ Plant well. We like to mix a little perlite and/or pumice in to help with moisture control as this will help ensure proper drainage. We recommend Fox Farm Ocean Forest potting soil
Watering
Be sure that the ZZ Plant’s soil is completely dry before watering. Although this is a hardy plant that I recommend to first-time plant owners, they are susceptible to root rot if left to sit in soggy soil. The watering frequency will always depend on the amount of light it is receiving as well as your home's relative humidity level. In most cases, 2-4 weeks will be the right watering frequency, siding on the every 2 weeks provided more light, and closer to every 4 weeks provided less light.
Sunlight
The ZZ Plant’s flexibility with light exposure is one reason for its hardiness. Although a ZZ Plant prefers moderate to bright, indirect light, they will grow just fine in lower light levels as well. Be sure to avoid direct sunlight, however, as this will scorch the leaves.
Fertilization
Fertilization isn’t a huge factor in ensuring success with a ZZ Plant but if you want to help it grow and maintain its healthy green color, give it an all purpose plant fertilizer once a month during the late-spring and summer months.
FAQ’s
Pet friendly?
No, ZZ Plants are not pet-friendly. If ingested, it will cause vomiting and diarrhea however Pothos are not lethal to either pets or humans.
Pruning
If you see yellow leaves, cut those off so the plant can redirect its energy towards the healthier branches. For shaping your plant, if one stalk is outgrowing the others significantly, you can ‘top’ this stalk by pruning it where desired. This allows the other stalks to catch up while the stalk that was ‘topped’ will soon start new steams in a ‘V’ like shape out from that spot.
