The Zamioculcas plant is often found in gardeners' homes, offices and shopping centers; it pleases the eye on window sills and in large tubs on the balcony. It is also called the dollar tree, Zanzibar pearl, emerald palm or golden tree, and it’s clear why: it all shines in the sun.
Although this exotic belongs to the group of indoor flowers “stuck in the ground and forgotten,” you still have to take care of the young Zamioculcas. But then it can be replanted every 3-4 years, propagated and given to everyone you know.
This article contains the whole truth about Zamioculcas: care at home, replanting and propagation, how to properly feed a dollar tree, how to persuade it to bloom and how to water Zamioculcas so that the bush becomes lush and shiny, as in numerous photos on the Internet.
Zamioculcas flower: features
Firstly, this is a succulent that accumulates moisture in the tuber and prefers to receive it from there, and frequent watering is dangerous for it (even when planting).
Secondly, the entire visible part of the plant is the leaves, and the functions of the stem are taken over by the tuber sitting in the ground. Therefore, when we say “leaf,” we mean what is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a “twig” or “stem.” And yes, the underground part of this flower is correctly called not “root”, but “tuber”.
The time of active growth is spring, summer and early autumn; at this time the flower needs active care. If it decides to bloom, then most likely it will happen in February - March, and after that you need to care for the bush in a special way, giving it a rest. Zamioculcas is easy to handle, the dense bushes are easy to propagate: they only need to be planted in pots.
Signs associated with Zamioculcas
In general, this plant promises positive effects: it brings good luck and financial well-being to the house. But, as always, there are a number of negative signs that are associated with this exotic. So!
If someone brought zamioculcas to your house, be sure to make a ransom: give the donor a few small coins.
If you want a flower to quickly bring you material well-being, it would be correct to place a coin, preferably a silver one, in a tray at the bottom of the pot.
If the bush withers and turns yellow for no particular reason, this promises financial failure.
If the dollar tree is about to bloom, for an unmarried housewife this is a sign that the man of her life will soon be next to her.
If the leaves of Zamioculcas suddenly began to “cry”, that is, to exude droplets of moisture, this is not a bad omen, but a completely scientifically proven sign that it will rain soon.
Caring for Zamioculcas at home
Even such an unpretentious flower as zamioculcas still needs care. To really forget about problems, not to replant and not worry about your indoor green pet, you need to provide it with comfortable conditions.
Watering
Zanzibar pearl, as Zamioculcas is sometimes called, likes a dry climate and does not tolerate excess moisture, so you need to water it very sparingly and only when the soil becomes noticeably dry (usually every 10-14 days). Water with soft water, preferably filtered, at room temperature.
Light
This plant is shade-tolerant, but does best if it gets some sunlight in the mornings or evenings. The ideal place for Zamioculcas is on the floor in partial shade, but in a room with windows facing southeast or southwest.
Air humidity
This handsome guy is one of those who doesn’t like excess moisture. It is better to keep it where it is drier, and a few months after planting you can start spraying it once a month or a little less often.
Temperature
The ideal conditions for Zamioculcas are 23–30 degrees, and it likes to winter at temperatures no colder than 15 degrees. During the dormant period, water the dollar tree no more than once every 1.5–2 months. There is no need to feed it, wake it up by spraying or fertilizing.
Soil for Zamioculcas
Must be loose and moisture-absorbing. A good idea is to mix the soil yourself, using peat, sand, turf and leaf humus in approximately equal proportions. Many people recommend adding a little crushed activated carbon to it. If the soil seems too dietary, supplement it with a small amount of humus.
You can also buy ready-made soil - for succulents or aroids.
Top dressing
The African succulent is not averse to feeding, especially after planting and at the beginning of the growing season, that is, in March - April. What can I feed it with?
Universal vitamins for ornamental foliage plants, for example “Aminosil”, including those with succinic acid.
Nitrogen fertilizers (necessarily in a lower concentration than indicated on the package, because your green pet needs less water than others).
Mixtures for cacti or succulents, such as Agricola.
"Kornevin", especially after transplantation, when the tuber begins to actively develop the new soil.
Folk remedies such as eggshells added to the soil and spraying with a weak solution of hibiscus infusion are also acceptable.
How to support blooming zamioculcas?
Since this exotic plant decided to bloom, it means you did everything right before. Do not change the conditions, continue to water and feed the flowering pet, as you did 2-3 months before the appearance of the cob.
Your zamioculcas has bloomed. How to care for a plant when the cob has dried out?
Carefully cut off the flower stalk with a sharp, clean pruner or knife. Give the plant an unscheduled vacation: move it to a cooler place, stop feeding, and reduce watering by half. Let the tuber sleep after flowering.
How to propagate Zamioculcas at home?
The easiest way to propagate any home flower is cuttings, but you can try other options. With favorable conditions and proper care, you will soon have many emerald palms instead of just one. Below are detailed instructions for propagating the plant with step-by-step photos.
The leaves are turning yellow
This usually happens after replanting and means that the tuber is too spacious in the new pot. Try replanting the plant in a slightly smaller container. You also need to reduce watering and move the pot to a warmer place.
Dark spots on leaves
It looks like the plant is cold and too damp. Reduce watering and move the pot to a warmer place. If the infection is active, we plant it in fresh and fairly dry soil. There is no need to take special care of damaged leaves, but you can cut them off during a scheduled seasonal trimming.
Decay
If you see traces of rot on the leaves, this is a sign that the rhizome is also suffering. Apparently, the tuber was overwatered a little, and the heavy soil did not allow excess moisture to escape. We treat all parts of the plant with fungicides, completely change the soil and drainage, disinfect the pot or buy a new one.
Leaves dry out and fall off
If we are talking about old, lower shoots, this is the norm - this is how the plant renews its turgor. But if the young leaves begin to dry out and turn yellow, most likely the plant doesn’t like its pot: it’s too wide, there’s not enough drainage, there’s stagnant dampness. Treatment is by transplantation and creation of more comfortable conditions.
Leaf pulling
If the bush withers, stretches out and loses all its splendor, and the leaves become thin and weak, it definitely does not have enough sunlight. It is worth moving the pot closer to the light or buying a special lamp for plants.
Pests and ways to get rid of them
Aphid
It affects plants that live on the balcony or are often taken out into the air. Black dots and lumps are noticeable on the leaves, then the leaves begin to turn pale and curl.
Spider mite
The most common pest: after all, like Zamioculcas itself, it loves a dry, warm climate. On the bush, a thin white cobweb becomes noticeable between the leaves. We wash it off with a soap solution, then spray it with tobacco infusion or a standard product such as Anti-mite.
Mealybug
This pest leaves sticky powdery drops on the bush, and the scale insects themselves are easy to spot on the leaves. We wash them off with soapy water and treat them according to the scheme with standard insecticides.
Shchitovka
A sign of infection is brown spots on the leaves. As soon as you notice the first traces, immediately begin comprehensive treatment with insecticides, since this parasite develops rapidly and can affect all leaves in a matter of weeks.
Answers on questions
What does Zamioculcas not like?
The main enemy of this African beauty is overwatering. If the tuber does not rot, then everything will be fine with the plant. In addition, it is shade-tolerant, but still prefers diffused light. And he is also a fan of feeding: when spring begins, be sure to treat him with a mixture for aroids.
Where is the best place to keep zamioculcas?
It is good to place a large plant on the floor in partial shade, closer to the southern or eastern windows. It is better not to keep it in the bathroom or other dark place.
What kind of pot should a Zamioculcas have?
First of all, high and deep, so that a solid layer of drainage can fit, and the tuber is comfortable, but not too spacious. Zamioculcas, like a cat, loves to occupy all the space and grows well in moderate, cozy close quarters.
Why is Zamioculcas called the flower of celibacy?
There is a sign that this particular flower brings wealth to an unmarried lady in exchange for family happiness. But the Flowwow team and all our biologist partners consider this to be superstition.
What can be done to make Zamioculcas produce new shoots?
First, check whether the pot is too spacious and whether the tuber is sitting too deep in the ground. Move the bush closer to the light and do not try to water it more actively.
How to make Zamioculcas release a branch?
Firstly, it produces new leaves better in a cramped pot. After transplanting into a larger container, you don’t have to wait for new shoots: the plant is busy developing the soil. Secondly, it is necessary that the tuber is not too deep in the ground. Finally, there is the shock method: during scheduled watering, after the usual water at room temperature, pour quite a lot of warm, almost hot water into the pot (but such that your hand can tolerate such a temperature). This will cause the tuber to release more greens.
How can you spray zamioculcas?
The best option is spraying or showering with lukewarm water no more than 2 times a month if your room is very dry and hot. If you really want to feed, you can make a weak decoction of hibiscus tea or a solution of feeding for aroids. To make the leaves bright and shiny, it is permissible to use a weak solution of succinic acid. From autumn to early spring you should not spray the Zanzibar pearl.
Is it possible to place zamioculcas in the bedroom?
There is a superstition that the dollar tree separates a married couple and drives men out of the house; it is even called the flower of celibacy. But, objectively speaking, this is a wonderful plant for the bedroom: it saturates the air with oxygen, refreshes the interior and does not accumulate a lot of dust.
How do you know when it’s time to replant zamioculcas?
While the bush is young, you don’t have to wait for signals and transplant it into a slightly larger pot every spring. And then, when growth slows down, you can safely leave the bush untouched for 3-4 years, until the tuber grows and appears on the surface of the pot. The emerald palm loves this kind of cramped space, so no need to worry: just transplant it into a more spacious house using the transshipment method.
What to do with Zamioculcas if it is too thin?
If the flower lived in conditions of lack of light, its leaves may remain thin and weak for a long time. Place the pot close to the light and check that the soil is sufficiently loose and moisture-absorbing. In dense soil, this African succulent grows slowly and does not gain lushness.
How to wake up Zamioculcas?
This green fellow is lazy: if you forget about him, he will not try to grow and will not produce leaves at all. You cannot actively water it, but you can actively spray the leaves with water at room temperature and use fertilizers. For example, any humate or infusion of hibiscus (the same hibiscus tea, for the decoction you need 3-4 leaves per 500 ml).
How often does Zamioculcas produce leaves?
This species grows slowly, so in a year the bush can grow by only 1–2 leaves, and this is the norm. If it has enough light and warmth, you can expect up to 7 new leaves during the active season (from April to September).
Do I need to prune Zamioculcas?
A young plant up to 3–4 years old does not need to be pruned; you can remove yellowed or dried branches if they appear. But an adult dollar tree needs pruning: this is done in early spring, always wearing gloves (after all, zamioculcas sap can cause serious skin irritation). Form the crown of the plant, remove too sloppy, old, dried branches. You can thin out the leaves if the shoot seems too heavy. In winter and summer, pruning is not carried out: this can cause the dollar tree to get sick.
Why is Zamioculcas poisonous?
It belongs to the aroids, which are famous for their poisonous juice. The green pet can be dangerous when replanted: the highest concentration of irritating substances is in the tuber.
Why do Zamioculcas leaves turn yellow immediately after transplantation?
It seems the new pot was too big for the root system. The tuber does not have time to absorb all the moisture and begins to rot. You need to transplant it into a slightly smaller pot and reduce watering.
How many years does Zamioculcas live?
With proper care and comfortable conditions, an emerald palm tree will live up to 10 years, and maybe a little longer.
Where to place Zamioculcas according to Feng Shui?
The best scenario is if this home flower is given to you and placed somewhere in the south-eastern part of the apartment, but not in the open sun, but in partial shade.