ZZ plant (Zanzibar gem) care

Light

ZZ plant is a useful plant for the room nobody else likes — the north-facing hallway, the basement office, the windowless bathroom with the ceiling LED. Low to medium indirect light. Bright indirect light produces faster growth but the plant happily survives in genuinely dim corners. Expect slow growth and pale new leaves; that's the cost of low light, not a sign anything is wrong.

Watering

ZZ plant watering is mostly about restraint. When the soil is completely dry, every 2-3 weeks — and never on a schedule. The finger test (or the pot-lift test) catches the actual moisture state; a calendar assumes weather and light don't change. ZZ stores enough water in its rhizomes to skip a watering or two without complaint. Overwatering is the only common way to kill one.

Soil and pot

ZZ plant grows best in free-draining cactus or houseplant mix. Standard potting compost cut with 30% perlite. A terracotta pot with a drainage hole is ideal. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

ZZ plant sits happiest at around 30-50% humidity and 18-26°C (65-80°F). Tolerates dry household air without issue. If you keep the room above 18 year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed zz plant sparingly. Half-strength balanced liquid feed every 6-8 weeks during the growing season. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on zz plant in the Growli community. Where a problem matches one of our diagnostic guides, click through for the full step-by-step recovery plan written for zz plant specifically.

• Yellow leaflets — Almost always overwatering.
• Mushy stems at the base — Root rot from too-wet soil; salvage firm rhizomes only.
• No new growth — Normal in low light or winter; otherwise check the roots.
• Drooping stems — Underwatering after a long dry spell; soak thoroughly.

Companion plants

ZZ plant pairs well with Snake plant, Cast iron plant, and Pothos. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Divide the rhizome at repotting, or root a single leaflet in water — patience required, as new rhizomes take 3-6 months. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

ZZ plant is toxic to pets. ASPCA lists Zamioculcas zamiifolia as toxic to cats and dogs due to insoluble calcium oxalates. Symptoms include oral irritation, drooling and vomiting. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

ZZ plant deep-dive guides

Every aspect of zz plant care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common zz plant problems & fixes
• ZZ plant watering schedule
• ZZ plant light requirements
• Best soil mix for zz plant
• ZZ plant fertilizing guide
• When to repot zz plant
• How to propagate zz plant
• How to prune zz plant
• What's eating my zz plant?
• ZZ plant growth rate & size
• ZZ plant cold hardiness
• ZZ plant temperature & humidity
• Is zz plant toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is zz plant toxic to cats?
• Is zz plant toxic to dogs?
• All 6 Zamioculcas varieties
• Pet-safe alternatives to zz plant

Featured in these plant shortlists

ZZ plant qualifies for 4 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best low-light houseplants — Houseplants that need no direct sun and cope with a north-facing room or a spot well back from a window.
• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best houseplants for beginners — Forgiving of irregular light and watering — the houseplants least likely to die in a new plant parent’s first season.
• Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
• Browse all 30 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

ZZ plant is also commonly called Zanzibar gem or eternity plant.

• ZZ plant care — the deep-write article with seasonal care notes
• ZZ plant yellow leaves — causes and the fix
• ZZ plant curling leaves — causes and the fix
• ZZ plant drooping — causes and the fix
• ZZ plant brown spots — causes and the fix
• ZZ plant mushy stem — causes and the fix
• ZZ plant no new growth — causes and the fix
• Snake plant vs ZZ plant — which to choose
• ZZ plant vs Cast iron plant — which to choose
• Aloe Tomentosa care — light, water and common problems
• Aloe Vanbalenii care — light, water and common problems
• Aloe Vera 'Chinese' care — light, water and common problems
• All 10153 plant care guides in the Growli library