Ta-Da!! - Presenting my ZZ plant

15 years ago

This is to announce the birth of my newest child Â a ZZ plant:

I know you have to look close to see it, but itÂs there and itÂs been a long gestation.

Many months ago I was cruising the garden department of one of my favorite big box stores and saw a ZZ plant leaf lying beneath the display. It looked pretty good (hadnÂt been stepped on or visibly run over by a cart) so I picked it up.

At home I stuck it in potting soil. It seemed to do absolutely nothing for months but the leaf remained green so I let it be. Eventually, however, the leaf turned totally brown. I gave up on it but when I ditched the potting soil I noticed a white tuber. An internet check told me this was what was supposed to occur so I went back into the garden, found the little tuber, and repotted it.

After many many weeks, a spear of green s-l-o-w-l-y appeared and now it has opened

NOW I know why ZZÂs are more expensive than other plants I see.

June

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Comments (16)

nfmgirl
15 years ago
Is that a little plastic cup? Amazing. I just bought a house, and am looking into plants that I can put inside and on the lanai to give a warmer, cozier feel. I may have to check out the ZZ, after reading how hardy it is. Thanks!
tomkaren
15 years ago
Congrats on your baby ZZ plant. (Love that it is laying down for a nap LOL)
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So I finally repotted my ZZ plant...
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Wow! That is just incredible! I wouldn't have thought to use that soil for container plants but I sure will do so when it's time for repotting :) If I may, I have one more question...not sure that you'd know the answer but you certainly seem to have a ton more experience with these lovely plants than I have so it's worth a shot asking! So I purchased a ZZ, "Zena" from my local Walmart a few months ago at the beginning of summer for $10. I had no idea what a ZZ plant was or if I'd ever even seen one before. I just new it was uniquely gorgeous and I had to have it for my fireplace mantle! All I've done is water it when I feel the top 2 inches of soil is dry as well as give it a couple of pumps of miracle grow plant food maaayyybe 3 of the times I've watered it (so maybe once in June, July & August). Since then, it has sprouted 3 new light green stems full of leaves and the shorter bushier stems have filled out quite nicely on the bottom making the plant look even fuller than when I purchased it! :) Well recently I came home from a trip and there was this short yellow stem of leaves. Not sure if this stem was one of the shorter bushy stems already present in the plant & those leaves just turned yellow or if this sprouted up new and yellow within the 3 days I was away at work? I'm at a total loss. Have done some research the past couple of days and some people have reported that it's a seasonal change that affects usually only one stem. Some have said the oldest stems will sometimes turn yellow and die off. Some think it's possible they may have a "variegated" stem of the plant growing in with the regular green version of the plant. Some even say that it's a sign of overwatering and the tubular roots inside could be soggy & dying. I don't think that's the case with Zena, as I make sure she's dry down to the soil at the drainage holes at the bottom of her pot before watering. Question is, have you seen anything like this with your ZZ's or perhaps have heard of this happening before and possibly know what it is? I've touched the stem & leaves & they look and feel quite strong and normal. They just look "odd" compared to all the other deep dark green stems in the pot. It doesn't bother me a bit, in fact I love eccentricities in all things so I feel blessed to have this little oddity sticking out the side now, but I just wonder if I need to be concerned? I should let you know that I live in Colorado and when I left for my trip the temps were consistently 75-80° inside the house but when I returned 3 days later it was 50° outside so inside the house it was about 65-70°. I wondered if maybe it got too cold & that caused the color change or new growth of the yellow stem? Any thoughts you might have are greatly appreciated! Thanks for your help! Len
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juneroses Z9a Cntrl Fl
Original Author
15 years ago
Tomkaren: Your comment about "laying down" leads me to think you are seeing a different orientation of the picture in my post than I am seeing. I see the plant upright, as one would expect.

However, I did run into a curious problem at Photobucket. I edited the pictured and rotated it to an upright position. I saved it and then linked it to my message. However, when I previewed it in the Gardenweb post, it was laying down. I deleted the picture, reloaded it to Photobucket, and recomposed my message; the orientation still showed the plant laying down.

So I edited the photo in Photobucket and rotated it so it was laying down. I linked this laying down photo to my message and the in-message photo was upright!

I'm curious to know how the picture presents to other viewers - upright or laying down?

June
tomncath
15 years ago
11/18/2008 reading upside down, picture 90 degrees to the right...makes me wonder if PB has another virus running rampant :-(
nfmgirl
15 years ago
Yep, it looks the same way to me on the forum. Date is upside down, and cup is laying on it's side.
scottrell
15 years ago
It is upright now! I admire your determination! - Sharon
juneroses Z9a Cntrl Fl
Original Author
15 years ago
Hopefully, all viewers are now seeing the picture in my original post in the correct orientation.

After I deleted files on my computer under "Internet Options", the picture I saw in my post was turned on its side too.

I returned to Photobucket and re-rotated the picture in the link. Hopefully, you all are now viewing a picture of an upright plant too.

Thanks, Tomncath, for your chance comment that made me aware of the problem.

June
imatallun
15 years ago
I still see your ZZ laying down with the date on top.

Maybe because I'm on aol and use photobucket too?
katkin_gw
15 years ago
First I wanted to say congrats. That plant seems to be a real slow grower. I got one rooted stem in the ground a couple of years now and while it lives, it hasn't multiplied. Still just one stalk.

BTW, for me the picture is on it's side.
naplesgardener
15 years ago
Your photo is correct orientation to me.
BTW (pardon my ignorance) but what is a "ZZ" plant? I was expecting something with a long grey beard like spanish moss, you know like ZZ Topp :-)
whgille
15 years ago
naplesgardener

I am with you, I don't know about the ZZ plant.
Is funny that you related to the ZZ Topp.
I had a neighbor that looked like them.LOL.
maggiepearl
15 years ago
I was hoping someone else would ask, 'cause I have been wondering, too....
scents_from_heaven
15 years ago
Here is a link that will show the plant and talk about it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Z Z
whgille
15 years ago
Linda
Thank you for the link. That solves the mystery to me.
I had the ZZ plant all along indoors, I got it for very cheap at the produce market near my house.
It is very hardy, and always looks good.
If you over water it will get flies, so I let mine dry completely before I add more water.
patiogardener3
15 years ago
Yay! I *LOVE* my ZZ plants--I have been trying to spread the word on what excellent house plants they are! I have two large ones in my house that I water, oh, about once a month. They need hardly any care, and do so well with even low light. I have even noticed that they exude a little moisture on the leaves like a natural leaf-shine...is that a great houseplant, or what? I would just advise fertilizing after a flush of new growth (right around the new year) to keep everything shiny and dark green. Definitely one of my top 10!
junkyardgirl
15 years ago
How cool is that? I love growing succulents from leaves. I have a few now that I need to pot up, but alas, I need at least 36 hours in a day to get it all done. Well, if I'd get off of here..

Ta-Da!! - Presenting my ZZ plant

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Ta-Da!! - Presenting my ZZ plant

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