Propagating ZZ plant

Propagating ZZ plants is very easy but takes little time. ZZ plant is a recent addition to our indoor plant collection. Propagating the ZZ plant adds excitement to the gardening passion. People who love plants want to propagate more and buy less. This article is for those gardening enthusiasts who want to multiply their ZZ plant collection by Propagating ZZ Plant.

ZZ Plant or Zamioculcas zamiifolia can be propagated in multiple ways:

• From Leaves
• Stem Cutting
• Ribosome division method

Propagating  ZZ plant from Leaves

Propagating ZZ plants from leaves is one of the most common and effective ways of propagation for ZZ plants. In this way, the ZZ plant can be multiplied into a number of plants very quickly. Leaves can be propagated in water as well as in soil.

How to take Leaves of ZZ plant for propagation

• Take fresh and fleshy leaves for propagation.
• Take a healthy leaves.
• Either take just leaf or portion of stem with leaf can also be taken.
• Take as much as possible leaves as all the leaves may not get roots and more plants.

Steps for Propagating ZZ plant leaves in water

• equired items: Glass/Cup, Water, Soil mix after rooting
• Take a small cup or glass and fill it with water. Water should just immerse 1/4th part of the leaves.
• Take healthy leaves and place the leaves in water. The bottom of the leaf should be immersed in water.
• Keep changing the water once a week.
• It may take 30-40 days for proper rooting and the first shoot from the leaves.
• Once roots and a shoot are developed, transfer the tiny plant to the good drainage soil.
• Soil composition for repotting – 50% Cocopeat, 20% Garden Soil, 20% Compost, 10% Perlite, and sand.
• Use liquid seaweed fertilizer after repotting for better growth.

Steps for Propagating ZZ plant leaves in Soil

• Required Items: Seedling mix – 80% Cocopeat, 20% Perlite, Seedling tray or any container, Rooting hormone, Transparent polythene for stopping moisture loss.
• Fill the seedling tray or container with the seedling mix. Ensure that the seedling tray has a small hole in the bottom of every seedling cavity.
• Take the ZZ Plant leaf and dip the bottom part of the leaf in the rooting hormone.
• Insert half part of the leaf into the soil.
• Moist the soil with gentle water spray. Do not make the soil soggy.
• Cover the seedling tray with polyethene to minimize moisture loss.
• Keep misting the soil as and when required.
• It may take 30-40 days for developing new roots and bringing new shoots into the leaf.
• After the development of roots and shoot, transfer the plant to the proper soil mix (0% Cocopeat, 20% Garden Soil, 20% Compost, 10% Perlite, and sand)

Propagation of ZZ plant from Stem Cutting

This method is a little faster than propagating ZZ plant from leaves. Like leaves, ZZ plant stems can also be propagated in water and soil.

How to take ZZ plant stem cutting

• Cut the stem almost from the base for best results.
• Take a little mature cutting. Avoid taking freshly grown stems and at the same time avoid taking drying stems.
• Take healthy cutting with fleshy leaves.

Steps for the propagation of ZZ plant stem in Water

• Required Items: Small container, water and appropriate soil mix.
• Take stem cutting of ZZ Plant. 
• Fill the water container with water and place the stem cutting in water.
• It may take 30-40 days to get new roots in the stem cutting.
• Once roots develop, transfer the plant into the soil mix.
• Soil mix composition: (0% Cocopeat, 20% Garden Soil, 20% Compost, 10% Perlite, and sand)

Steps for propagating ZZ plant stem in Soil

• Required Items for growing ZZ plant stem in Seedling mix: Soil Mix (80% Cocopeat+20%Perlite), Small flower pot, Rooting Hormone, transparent polythene for controlling moisture loss.
• Take a flowerpot and fill it with the seedling mix. Do not forget to partially cover the drainage hole in the pot with stones or broken pieces of pots.
• Take a stem cutting and dip the bottom part in the rooting hormone.
• Make a hole in a pot filled with a seedling mix and place the stem cutting gently inside and cover it properly with soil mix.
• Water it gently, just soil should be moist and it should not be soggy.
• Place the transparent polythene over the pot to stop moisture loss.
• Keep checking the moisture level of the soil and mist the soil with water spray whenever required.
• It may take 30-40 days for rooting and post that based on the pot size if required to re-pot the plant in the appropriate pot.

Propagation of ZZ plant from Ribosome division

Typically people apply this method of propagating ZZ plants while repotting the ZZ Plant. But technically this can be applied as a regular propagation method also. The ribosome of the ZZ plant is a bulb kind of structure found below the soil. It is part of the stem of the plant.

How to make Ribosome division

• If one ribosome is having two or more stems, ribosomes can be cut into two or more parts with one stem each.
• While dividing the plant take the stem with the ribosome.

Steps for propagating ribosome

• Required items: Seedling mix as above, Small pot, Transparent Polythene
• Cover the bottom holes of the pot with stones.
• Fill it with seedling soil and place the ribosome with the stem in the soil.
• Cover it properly and water the soil gently. Do not overwater it.
• Cove the plant with transparent soil
• Keep the soil most
• It may take 50-60 days for new shoots to come.

Important Tips to note while Propagating ZZ plant

• The rainy season is the best season for propagating zz plants.
• For better results please use fungicide in the soil mix. It will save seedlings from fungal infections.
• Getting mature plants from leaf-cutting may take a year so be patient and enjoy the plant’s growth.
• Insert some of the ZZ plant leaves in the same pot in which the plant is growing. Leaves will grow new shoots and make the pot bushier.
• Always sterilize the blade, scissor or knife which is used for cutting the stem or leaves.
• Multiple soil mixes can experiment with, whatever works best in particular whether conditions can be followed in the future.
• Always make small holes in polythene used for covering the plant to control moisture loss.