Unthirsty ‘ZZ’ plants easy to grow indoors

QUESTION: I bought this new plant for my house; I love the way it looks, so handsome! How do I care for it, and what is it called? — Cindie Kraft, Palolo

ANSWER: This is a “ZZ” plant. The Latin name is Zamioculcas zamifolia, but that’s hard so ZZ is the nice name nursery plant growers have given it. Another cool name for it is “Zanzibar Gem.”

Interestingly, it is related to kalo (taro). You might not guess this looking at it, but the flower looks like that of a kalo and other relatives such as dieffenbachia, alocasia, philodendron, monstera, aglaonema and caladium. ZZs are in the Araceae plant family.

ZZs are native to eastern Africa, from Kenya to northeastern South Africa. Even though a recent addition to our Hawaii nursery trade, they have become widely used in interiorscapes. They are striking-looking with their upright succulent stems and glossy green leaves.

A xeric (unthirsty) plant, ZZs will save water and time as you care for them. In a home, office or lobby, they need watering only once every week or two.

The bases of the stems are fat and succulent, and they help the plant store its own water. The waxy, shiny leaves are also succulent, all characteristics that help conserve water. They are shade-loving plants, so they thrive in the low-light conditions found indoors, including air-conditioned office spaces.

If you grow them outside, you can water daily, as warmer, sunnier, windier conditions make the plants dry out between watering. Keep them in a shady area, as they don’t like full sun. They need good drainage, so don’t sit them in a tray of water or they will rot.

I was happy to discover this new plant in about 2007. My horticulturist buddy Erin Lee was in town from Hawaii island, and we went to some of the top Oahu nurseries on a tour. I had never seen this plant and was instantly drawn to it. I arranged to buy several for the lobby and restaurants at the Hale Koa Hotel in Waikiki, where I was working as landscape director. Some went into the executive offices, and our amazing food and beverage manager, Cheryl Apo, loved them. Our staff was trained in how to care for them, and they were a big hit.

Interior plants “clean” the air. Research by NASA and horticultural scientists has shown that living, growing potted plants not only give us oxygen in exchange for our carbon dioxide, they also remove VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from the air in interior spaces. Besides being pretty, well-maintained interiorscapes are a health benefit for us!

I could always tell whether a plant or newly designed landscape was a winner by two things: if people would ask for the name of plant and whether they could grow it where they lived, and if they posed for pictures with it.

In the case of ZZ plants, all this happened and more! Hale Koa staffers often asked me whether they would grow nicely in their homes and where they could buy one (for a connected discount, of course!).

I bought a few for myself to test how they would grow in my garden and for special omiyage and hostess gifts. The giftees always raved over this new and striking plant. Mine are still alive, gorgeous and thriving after all this time. I have not even transplanted them.

I’m super busy and focusing more on food-producing and native Hawaiian plants, and they still look great. And I have that great gift, ready for giving as needed!

Heidi Bornhorst is a sustainable landscape consultant specializing in native, xeric and edible gardens. Reach her at heidibornhorst@gmail.com.