New Houseplant Arrival, Raven ZZ Plant
Are you a collector of fun, unique houseplants? If so, keep reading to learn more about our newest houseplant arrival!
ZZ Plant
We are thrilled to introduce you to Raven ZZ Plant. Well, let’s back up a bit and introduce you to the more commonly available ZZ Plant, Zamioculcas zamiifolia. These plants were discovered a long time ago but didn’t gain popularity as a houseplant until the 1990’s. For some reason, they are still somewhat underutilized, which is a bit surprising given how easy growing they are!
Lighting
ZZ Plants can tolerate all levels of indoor light, from low to bright but avoid exposing them to direct sunlight as that may cause leaf burn and plant stress. Don’t have any natural light? That’s ok, ZZs can grow under just overhead or florescent lighting, making it a perfect office plant. For more information about proper lighting for houseplants, check out this post.
Water Needs
They can also tolerate drought, although ideally, ZZ Plants should be watered when the top 1-2 inches of the soil surface is dry. If they get too dry, leaves will turn brown and the plant will wilt completely. All is not lost; they can usually revive with a good watering. Make sure your planter has good drainage and that your soil drains well; excess water can cause root rot. Low air humidity isn’t as issue for these plants either. For more houseplant watering tips, read this post.
Large rhizomes can be seen at soil level; these hold water, allowing the plant to go for longer periods of time without water. One way to propagate this plant is to separate the rhizomes and start new plants.
While ZZ Plants don’t grow fast, they will eventually grow to a mature size of a few feet tall and wide. For houseplant parents that like to mess with their plants a lot, track growth and replant often; this might not be the best plant. But for houseplant lovers who have patience and can occasionally forget to water, this could be the perfect plant.
Raven ZZ Plant
If you have shopped our Hothouse, you have most likely seen the rich green dramatic foliage of the ZZ Plant. The Raven shares the same rich green foliage on new leaves only. Green leaves darken to a even more dramatic purple-black color as they age. This new variety is gorgeous, eye-catching and a must have for houseplant lovers who have just about everything else!
The Raven’s striking characteristics have been well noticed; it was chosen as the Best New Plant at the 2018 Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition. Raven ZZ Plant entered the market in late 2018/early 2019 and has just now become more readily available for purchase.
As you might expect, we have a limited amount and they will sell fast! We are also on the lookout for Zamicro, a smaller growing variety of ZZ Plant. Fingers crossed we can find it as well.