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A houseplant that has been gaining increasing popularity in recent years and is known to almost everyone. If you don’t yet have it at home, we’ll tell you a little more about it first. Once you have this plant, you can enjoy it endlessly. Its propagation is extremely simple.
The best houseplant for busy people
The little plant is very resilient, suffers almost no diseases and does not need much moisture . Despite a surprisingly low water supply, ZAMI – as we tend to call it at home – is wonderfully green and its glossy leaves beautify our dwelling.
Plant cultivation
Soil – Zamioculcas prefers well-draining, nutritious, humus-rich soil with a slightly acidic pH (pH 5.5 – 6.5). The bottom of the flowerpot should contain a drainage layer.
Placement – Zamioculcas prefers partial shade. Due to lack of light the leaves will pale and stretch. If the location is too sunny, the plant will begin to develop brown spots on the leaves. Zamioculcas always grows toward the sun, so it is worth turning the pot from time to time to keep the plant even.
Temperature – the optimal growth temperature is 20–25 °C. It tolerates even higher temperatures. In winter the ideal temperature is 16–18 °C. Winter is a resting period for the plant, but temperatures below 5 °C are lethal. Large temperature fluctuations are also not recommended.
Watering – Zamioculcas likes periods of dryness and handles them as well as cacti or succulents. Therefore it is good to occasionally take a short break from watering. Water the plant only when the substrate is dry. It is better to skip watering than to overwater the plant. Irrigation water should be at room temperature. And in winter watering should be significantly reduced.
Growth
Zamioculcas grows fairly slowly, but its size can be truly large, so it needs some space. In nature it reaches a height of 1 m; each year it can produce several new stems that you can transplant into separate pots.
Fertilizing – some growers do not fertilize at all, but if you do, use 1/2 or 1/4 of the dose of a multi-component fertilizer for green plants once a month. Too intensive fertilizing is as harmful to plants as overwatering and can lead to their rot. Do not fertilize in winter.
Repotting – the best time is in spring. Young plants should be repotted every year, older ones every 3 to 4 years. You should be very careful with small and thin shoots so as not to damage them.
Propagation
The easiest way to propagate Zamioculcas is by division. The plant grows in the pot in several clumps. Just separate the individual clumps and plant them into separate pots. Zamioculcas needs a looser substrate. Mix standard potting soil for houseplants with a little sand and place a drainage layer at the bottom. It is important that the roots do not stand in water when watering, as there is a risk they will start to rot.
A natural way Zamioculcas propagates is by leaves. The plant simply drops a leaf and it roots in the soil next to the mother plant. You can try it too by simply sticking a leaf into the soil.
Why shouldn’t it be missing from your home?
Zamioculcas is considered a sacred plant in some cultures. People believe that its presence in a dwelling brings luck and money . In Malaysia there is a belief that this plant should not be missing in any household and neighbors propagate plants among themselves so that it reaches every home. Feng Shui also recognizes Zamioculcas as an exceptional plant that adds positive energy .
Moreover, it is said that its emerald leaves represent the most beautiful and fullest shade of green that we can encounter in nature. Therefore Zamioculcas is considered a generous gift of nature, meant to remind people of its beauty and strength.
Although we cannot confirm the magical properties of this plant, one thing is clear – it fits into any interior and thanks to its undemanding care and resilience you can enjoy it for years. ZAMI grows quickly and propagates easily. From one plant you can therefore multiply as many other plants as you want.
