ZZ Plant Flower

Do ZZ plants have flowers? If so, what do they look like? I've had this Zamioculcas zamiifolia houseplant for years and it's never flowered before until just now! 

The flower looks similar to a peace lily, with in inner stalk that's not all that attractive that emerges from a sheath or hood. Ready for some science? I looked up both the peace lily and ZZ plant on Wikipedia and sure enough both plants are members of the family Araceae, also known as the arum family or aroids. That explains the similar look - they are somewhat related. 

The stalk in the middle of the flower is known as the spadix and the hood around it is called the spathe. Both are clearly visible in this flowering ZZ plant photo that I just took. Pretty cool!

Close up photo of the ZZ plant flower. I've owned ZZ plants for years and never saw one until just now!

In case you are curious, the flower has no noticeable smell from what I can tell. It looks sorta alien because it's not something you see all the time on a ZZ plant. They can be cut off without really hurting the plant but I'm going to leave it. 

A wider photo of the ZZ plant flower showing its size and location relative to the rest of the plant.

Indoor ZZ Plant with One Leaf Turning Yellow

My ZZ Plants are extremely slow growing, but require next to no attention at all. I'll go weeks without thinking twice about them, and then remember that they are alive and need water. I divided one clump that I bought into 2 pots, and put one in the bathroom and one in the front office. The bathroom only has a tiny 3 ft x 6 in window, so I'm amazed these plants are able to thrive and put on new growth in such dark dry conditions.

Only the 2nd new sprout on this plant in about 11 months!

The one in the front office is putting up a new shoot. This is always exciting because it's only happened 4 times in the year that I've owned them. They are succulents and store energy in a massive bulb under the soil - then when they build up enough resources to launch a new sprout it shoots up relatively quickly.

Slow growing ZZ plant with yellow leaf on the very oldest stem

I have 1 conspicuous yellow leaf on the plant in the office. It looks a little bizarre. It's from the oldest sprout on the plant, so probably just letting it go to favor the new growth. It isn't a blotchy yellow like some photos I've seen online, it's a total yellowing. I hear these things sometimes lose leaves seasonally as well, but this is my first one.

What ZZ Plant New Growth Looks Like

I gotta say, this ZZ Plant [Zamioculcas zamiifolia] has been a complete joy since I bought it on sale at Lowe's. It looks lush and glossy, and thrives on neglect. The one in my bathroom has already sent up a shoot of new growth, a tiny spear of leaves that unfurls into a new long stem of lighter green leaves.



It starts with a tiny spear head that peaks out of the succulent bulby base. One of these spear heads has been there for a while - it's as if they get set and ready to go but wait for optimal conditions to shoot off, and then once then do there's no going back.

Little spear tips wrapped in brown sheaths ready to take off. Once they do it's sort of all or nothing.

A new shoot starts, and once it does it really takes off quickly! It explodes with new lighter green growth.

This new stem shot straight up in the bathroom with weekly watering and humidity from the shower.

This new stem has 13 leaves compared to 8 on the next longest stem. I bet each new stem gets more and more leaves until before you know it you have a monster house plant.

Seeing ZZ Plants Everywhere

You know the expression that goes something like "if you buy a [kind of car] you start seeing [kind of car] everywhere!" Well the same is true for me with ZZ Plants [Zamioculcas zamiifolia]. I got one on sale at Lowe's for my house, and now I've seen them in hotels in Washington DC and Orlando within a 2 week period.

A row of potted ZZ Plants [Zamioculcas zamiifolia] huge and attractive in 3 foot tall planters

ZZ Plant - now that I own one I see them EVERYWHERE!

Tropical Plants and Specimen Conifers at Gaylord National Harbor Resort

A nice collection of specimen conifers at the Gaylord National Harbor!

The Gaylord National Harbor Resort and Convention Center has an amazing atrium filled with trees, plants, and water features. Many of the tropical plants look familiar yet somehow strange, because most are kinds you would see on an office desk - except these have grown to several feet tall. Take, for example, this huge ZZ Plant [Zamioculcas zamiifolia] just like the one on my bathroom counter - except this one was about 3 feet tall and wide!

Huge Zamioculcas zamiifolia by a water feature

I had some time to kill before heading out to the airport, so I walked around and explored the atrium and some of the outdoor gardens. The most striking indoor plants were the huge Fishtail Palms [Caryota mitis] that surrounded the lobby bar. The name comes from the shape of the leaflets, but these palms also produce wispy broom-like tails on the sides of their trunks.

Stepping outside the waterfront door of the atrium (that locked behind me) I found a formal garden with conifer topiaries. None of the plants had name placards other than the Fishtail Palm, so I did my best to identify the trees using Google images and this helpful conifer identification article.

Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Boulevard' in cloud form

First up it looks like we have a large Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Boulevard' in cloud form. This specimen was easily 9 feet tall, and the focal point of the waterfront garden. The short blue floppy mop tips were nearly groomed into billowy fluff balls.

Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar - Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula'

Next up, also in the waterfront garden, this weeping blue atlas cedar [Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula'] had a 5" caliper trunk (eye-ball measurement) and stood about 7 feet tall. It's blue barbed wire needle clusters lined each whip-like branch.

Some kind of Chamaecyparis obtusa in cloud or Hindu Pan form

Walking up the service drive to the front (since I was locked out) I came upon an unknown variety of Chamaecyparis obtusa in cloud, hindu pan, or pom-pom form standing neatly in front of the main entrance. This specimen towered over me, at least 3 meters tall.

Finally, framing the Chamaecyparis obtusa topiary on both sides were two weeping Alaskan cedar [Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Pendula'], with soft floppy fronds (needles) and standing 15 feet or more.



I did my best to identify these using images online, so I welcome any corrections or other input in the comments section! Thanks!

Neem Oil Got Rid of White Furry Fluffy Fungus on Soil in 24 Hours

When I re-potted a ZZ Plant [Zamioculcas zamiifolia] I got at Lowe's into a larger pot, I used some really old potting soil and everything got pretty moist. In a couple days, I noticed some white fluffy fuzz growing on top of the dirt. Interesting!

White fuzzy powdery fungus growing on the potting soil. Treated with 0.9% neem oil spray. Before and after photos 24 hours apart. That was easy!

My friend Mike told me to try treating it with neem oil extract. I found a couple different ready-to-use sprays with neem oil extract (both had active ingredients of 0.9% 'extract of neem oil'). The fancy organic rose spray was about $9, and the Garden Safe Fungicide was about $5.

I sprayed just enough to dampen the top of the soil, and within 24 hours the fungus was totally gone! Completely gone!

ZZ Plant bathroom selfie! Whadup!

I looked up neem oil and it is basically vegetable oil from an evergreen plant originating in India. Quite the natural fungicide! My ZZ Plant is super happy in my bathroom!

Re-potting in the kitchen! I have the best husband to let me do this :)