ZZ Plant Care
This plant is tough—making it perfect for the forgetful plant owner. This hardy plant is able to survive for months without water and will grow well in any light except direct sun.f
How to care for your ZZ Plant
- LIGHT
Your ZZ Plant prefers medium to bright indirect light, but it is extremely adaptable. It will tolerate low light and fluorescent lighting in a windowless space.
- WATER
Water your ZZ Plant only when the soil is completely dry. Water until liquid flows through the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot and discard any water that has accumulated in the saucer.
- HUMIDITY
This plant does not require any extra humidity.
- FOOD
Feed once every month during the spring and summer with a liquid fertilizer for indoor plants.
- TOXICITY
ZZ Plants are mildly toxic to pets and humans. Typically, ingestion will cause mouth and stomach irritation and possible vomiting.
- ADDITIONAL CARE
As a survival technique, the ZZ Plant has evolved to start dropping its leaflets to conserve moisture during periods of severe drought. If you forget to water yours and see the leaves fall off, don’t give up hope! Water your plant immediately and it should come back. Yellow leaves can indicate overwatering.
Common Issues for your ZZ Plant
First, let’s clean up your plant. This allows the plant to direct its energy to new healthy growth.
- Remove entire brown leaves (they will not turn green again) or the effected portion with a pair of sharp scissors or pruning shears.
- Wipe the blades of your scissors with rubbing alcohol between each snip.
- You may need to trim your plant in stages because you never want to remove more than 20% of the affected leaves at one time–this could shock your plant.
Now, let’s get your ZZ Plant on the road to recovery.
Water quality
One reason your ZZ Plant’s leaves are turning brown on the edges could be due to your tap water. Tap water contains salts, chlorine, minerals and fluoride – all of which can build up in the soil of your plant causing the tips of the leaves to burn and turn brown. One way you can remedy this is to use a water filtration system. If you do not have a filtration system available, leaving your water in an open container or sink overnight before using can help relieve some of the chlorine.
Increase the humidity
Your ZZ Plant may also be turning brown from a lack of humidity. Increase the humidity around your plant by misting the leaves on a regular basis, using a pebble tray, or moving a humidifier nearby.
Incredibly dry soil
Your ZZ Plant loves to dry out a bit between waterings, but be sure you’re not forgetting about it completely. Keep a consistent watering schedule–water when the top 50-75% of the soil is dry.
If you accidentally let your ZZ Plant’s soil dry out completely, you may see leaves go limp, droop, and possibly start to brown, along with potentially wrinkled stalks. If the soil is extremely dry all the way through the pot, a thorough soak is in order.
Here’s how to soak-water your ZZ Plant:
- Place your plant in your sink or tub without the saucer. Fill your basin up with about 3-4″ of water. Make sure the water isn’t hot!
- Allow your plant to soak up water through the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot for at least 45 min.
- Feel the top of the soil after your plant has been soaking–has the water reached the top 2-3” of soil?
- If not all the soil feels saturated, water your ZZ slightly from the top of the soil to help speed up the saturation.
- When your plant’s soil is evenly damp, drain the sink/tub and allow the plant to rest while it drains thoroughly. Place the plant back on its saucer and back in its proper spot.
Improper Light
A ZZ Plant thrives in low to medium light. When exposed to direct sunlight for too long, the leaves will yellow and burn. The ZZ Plant can adapt to very low light areas, so don’t be afraid to place it in a dark corner–that might be just what it’s craving.
Moisture
Providing proper soil moisture (or lack of moisture) is important in caring for a ZZ Plant. The number one cause of yellowing leaves among ZZ Plants is overwatering. ZZ Plants basically thrive off of neglect–they don’t need much water to survive. Only water when 100% of the soil volume is dry. Water until water flows freely from the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot. Be sure to discard any excess water that flows into the saucer. Your ZZ Plant doesn’t like “wet feet,” as this can lead to root rot and eventual death of your ZZ.
Your watering consistency
Alternating between bone dry and wet soil from ill-timed waterings can create stress and cause your ZZ to have yellow leaves.
Pests
Weakened or stressed ZZ Plants become more susceptible to insect infestations. Sap-sucking bugs like spider mites can drain your plant of moisture. This problem quickly manifests itself by yellowing leaflets and fronds. Scale, mealybugs, and spider mites occur frequently in indoor conditions. If not killed early on, these small pests proliferate and move all along leaves and fronds and into nooks and crannies. The piercing mouths of the insects exhaust your plant and accelerate yellowing, especially if your ZZ is already unhealthy from a nutrient deficiency or improper soil moisture.