Propagating Zz plants from leaves is much easier than you can imagine if you know how and when to do it. The Zamioculcas zamiifolia plant is what this plant is known scientifically, and these plants look very much like they have a generic form of plants but are still one of the most beautiful looking plants to keep at home.
In this article, we take you through a tried and tested process of propagating Zz plants by only using their leaves in the soil and also in water so let us get started.
Contents
How To Propagate Zz Plants From Leaves via Soil?
You can propagate a Zz plant from leaves via soil by collecting the cuttings, and then you must aim to keep the cut part moist. After that, you can replant the cutting section and finally take care of the plant until it grows well.
1. Collect the Cutting
The first step is to collect the cutting of the Zz plant from a healthy and mature mother Zz plant. These plants can be found in your nearest nurseries, or at a gardening shop, or ask any of your friends if they have it or know someone who does.
Make sure that you would cut from the step, and that the leaf is not cut halfway from the middle, and neither is it cut only a tiny bit or from a sick-looking plant. In this case, the cutting will contain a leave and some of its stalk. Normally a cutting is much more than that and contains some roots, but here we will move forward with the leave only.
Make sure that the plant that you have selected for taking the cutting from is healthy and infection free. This is very important as you do not want any infections to pass on to your new plant and if you have a healthy leaf in hand, it will make the process much easier for you in the long run.
2. Keep The Cut Moist
After you have secured the cutting, make sure that you place it in a damp cloth, so it doesn’t dry out. Keep it hidden until it’s time to plant it in the soil. Once the cutting dries out, it will no longer work well for propagation purposes.
This is why when you make this cut you should also aim to protect it until you get to the step where you should start planting it. In addition to this, you should keep them moist is that they do not grow any flowers or fruit, but the entire finesse of the plant depends upon its dark green leaves that have a flat blade with defined veins.
3. Plant the Cutting
The next step in the process is to plant the cutting, so you will need to plant stem in the soil which may be in a pot or in the garden. If you are choosing a pot make sure that it is big enough for the plant to grow and expand, and if you’re choosing a spot in the garden, make sure that it is somewhere the sunlight shines bright.
Put the cutting in the soil and cover the sides as well, as this will give leave the much-needed support. Ensure that it stays almost up, vertically, and that it is surrounded with soil, this is necessary so that the plant would start to establish roots.
Water the newly planted cutting and ensure that the plant is still standing and well in the case of any strong winds. It will take some time for the cutting to become one with the soil so take your time.
4. Take Care of the Plant
After planting the leaf cuttings, you only need to take care of them and maintain the conditions, as it is set properly. The Zz plants, however, do not require much work and are pretty easy going so all you have to do is from a water schedule and make sure that they get sunlight at the start.
Keeping the latter in mind, you can decrease the water and the sunlight and the plant will still be fine, but just don’t deprive it so that the new growing plant would not lack the right needs. The plants, therefore, make great indoor plants as they hardly make any mess or shed any leaves, as it grows to a new plant.
In short, the Zz plants resemble succulents, and this means that they can do well with and when they receive little water. However, the propagation via water is very interesting as you get to see the root’s formation in real-time. This type of propagation is also very decisive in letting us know whether the cutting that was chosen is viable.
How To Propagate Zz Plants From Leaves via Water?
You can propagate the Zz plants from leaves via water propagation by collecting the cutting, placing the cutting in water until the roots develop, and replanting the cutting in soil so that it grows and develops the newly established roots.
1. Choose the Right Time
You must also have in mind that the timing is a key necessity when it comes to the process of propagation, and that is why the best time to grow the Zz plants is early spring because this time, the plants are forced to grow at their best rate, and they bloom the fullest. This is why this time is great for the propagation of newly grown plants.
The Zz plants grow from the early spring to the mid-autumn in regions with lower temperatures, whereas in regions with high temperatures, these plants may grow all year around. Light also plays a very big role in the propagation of the plants, so even if the time is right, ensure ample light as well.
2. Collect the Cutting
Collect the cutting from a healthy and viable mother Zz plant. To be more detailed, for this you should ensure that this cutting will serve as your base for the new plant as there are no seeds involved.
The next big thing that you need to take care of is that the mother plant is devoid of all infections and infestations because you do not want any of them passing on to the next plant. Get a healthy look at the left and keep it in a damp cloth until the next step is ready to go so that it doesn’t dry out all quickly.
3. Place the Cutting in the Water
As this is propagation via water, put the leaves inside the water in a clear jar and let it rest. Water propagation works very well with a few types of plants, and the Zz plants are one of them.
The cutting can be placed straight in the glass with no additional objects. With time, the leaves will start to grow roots. Once these roots are seen, you can move on to the next step, but before doing so, ensure you do not let the leaves sit in the same water for more than five days. It is important that you change the water regularly as it can get dirty and destroy your cutting.
4. Replant the Cutting
Planting the cutting of leaves with tiny root hairs is very easy and also the most significant step of the process. You can do so in a pot or in the garden. Either way, the Zz plant grows well and is healthy. Make sure you get an appropriate-sized pot for the plant. Once planted, pat the soil on the sides to lightly secure the cutting and water.
5. Take Care of the Plant
After planting the plant, you only need to maintain the conditions for the plant to grow in. This will include water and sunlight for the starting couple of weeks, and once the plant finds itself one with the soil and in the developing stage, you can opt for scarce watering and indirect light for your plant.
It takes a few years for the Zz plant to grow to a fully mature size. This is because the Zz plants are very slow in growth, and it may take them a few weeks to show any signs of roots once they are propagated at the start.
The plant’s growth also depends on the conditions around the plant and how well they are maintained. These plants grow in an ideal condition of 80 degrees Fahrenheit when grown at a lower temperature; like indoors, they grow at a much slower pace and take up to nine months to grow the tiny roots after propagation.
Zz plants can live without water and soil for some time while propagating. At one time, either the Zz plants can live without water or soil, not both at the same time. This unique characteristic makes the Zz plant great for propagation via soil or water method.
Conclusion
Growing these plants is easy if you follow a good procedure and maintain the aftercare, so now the following is a very simple yet effective way of propagating Zz plants from leaves via soil for your home garden:
- You can propagate a Zz plant from leaf cuttings via soil by collecting the cuttings, replanting the cutting, and finally taking care of the plant until it grows well.
- You can propagate the Zz plants from leaves via water propagation by collecting the cutting, placing the cutting in water until the roots develop, and replanting the cutting in soil.
- The plants, when grown in the soil, do require water, while when the plant is grown in water it does not require any soil.
- The leaves of the plant are self-sufficient in sustaining themselves so no extraneous food source is required.
- The Zz plants resemble succulents as they need less water and grow very slowly. The plant will thrive in a normal setting of a room or garden.
Here we come to the end of the article about planting the infamous Zz plants using the cuttings from their leaves and we hope this article was informative and helpful for you.
- Grow Mango Tree Indoors: Best Tips and Tricks For You - September 21, 2023
- Are Lilacs Deer Resistant? 10 Other Deer Resistant Plants - September 19, 2023
- 7 Plants With Red Stems To Add Color to Your Garden - September 18, 2023
