ZZ plant

I got a cutting of a zz plant, it has a stem with 6 leaves. I want it to root and have had it in water for about a month and I still do not see any roots. I have been told that i can grow a zz plant from the leaves but that they are very slow growers, that is why i hope my 6 inch stem roots. Any help out there would be appreciated! I love the plant, but big ones cost around $50 in my area

I have a ZZ plant and took some small cuttings a few months ago, put them in water and am just now seeing little roots! So, hang in there!

How long did it take to see roots, i am excited 'cause my husband wants this plant so bad, it is gorgeous when it gets to be big, that i told him a cutting or nothing! Anyway, your cuttings, are they leaves or the stem like i have? I'll take a picture tomorrow and post it. Let u know. Thanks for aknowledging me plantladylin!!!! Clemen

I don't know for sure. I took the cutting maybe 3 months ago and it just now is showing teeny roots on the bottom.

Here's a link to a photo of my plant I took the cuttings from: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/180647/


And here's one cutting in water in the kitchen window:

Well, that photo is kinda dark, you can't really see anything. Here's the stem with the teeny little root starting to show:

Plantadylin, wow your cutting is much bigger than mine. The mother plant is gorgeous. I wish I had one like yours. Thanks for the pictures!

Well, you can tell I'm not a good photographer. Let me see if I can get a closer pic of the roots.

Ok, in this photo you can see the beginnings of the little roots and I think bulbs/tuber. This plant grows from tubers under the soil surface and I think that's whats forming along with the roots.

Here's the link to Plant Files for some information on the plant: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2142/

Nice link, I guess your cutting is ready to be put on a pot!

cmdelg, I could send you one but they are 22-25.00 her and then shipping puts you back at what it would cost to buy the ZZ there...............don't give up.............

Gessiegail, Guess what, I got a zz plant at Home Depot yesterday for $9.99, and when I opened the forum today, there you were telling me about the cost and all, see our minds were thinking of each other and maybe because of your positive thinking I got my Plant, HAPPY HAPPY GIRL! CLemen

Good for you Clemen! I have never even seen one for 9.99 and please do the Happy Dance! Congratulations!
gail

Gail, I did, and you know what, the plant is pretty big, I would say it is about 19 inches tall. I have seem those for at least $20 to 25, larger ones maybe 22 inches $30, and taller ones forget it $50 and up. Anyway like I said, you gave me good luck!
Plantladylin, I still have my cutting in water and hope to get roots like yours soon!
Clemen

I love ZZ plants. Each time my adult children come home to visit one of them takes a ZZ plant home with them. I have bought several of them in the last two years. (LOL) I did stick the individual leaves and they rooted pretty quickly.......just for fun I did that.

Let me see if I can find the old picture

I gave them away as I rooted 6 leaves. Try it.......it is fun to watch them root

Gail, I read somewhere that they are slow growers, is it true? That is why i HAD to get A BIGGER PLANT. So have fast do they grow from the leaves, I have a couple of branch cutings in water, should I just cut the leaves and plant them! Clem

I saw Lin's roots and they looked good to me. I would go ahead and plant hers (maybe with a dome for a week or so)

I think they are fast growers but I live in warm south Texas and have had the air conditioning on for a couple of months now. When the kids were home Thanksgiving one of my sons in law took my big ZZ and I bought this one.

Here is a picture and all the growth in the middle is new growth.....a lot of new growth as she sits in an empty bedroom with only one small north window. They do grow best when planted in a bulb pan. Mine is in an 8 or 10" bulb pan as they don't like to keep their feet wet.

Wow Gail, I cannot believe you've had your ac so soon..........We are still cold here with the heat on............I'll trust you on the fast grower pace and will root some this wek.....keep you posted, the picture is beautiful, Clem

Good luck!!

Good luck with your cuttings! ZZ's grow into very nice plants. Here's a pic of mine:

Candace, you grew yours from cuttings? It is beautiful! My cuttings are not showing any growth yet, will keep you posted! Clemen

No, I bought mine at a local garden store. I may have to try growing some cuttings. My plant is growing very fast though, putting out new shoots all the time. I hope yours does well too.

I have a large one in my office (does well even in my low light), plus a couple other smaller ones at home from which I root cuttings; they like to be snug in the container, similar to Sansevieria.

Good luck!

Well after so many months did get roots in all on my cuttings. I ended up buying a new plant anyway, and potted all of my cuttings there. The plant is really amazing and beautiful, she is sitting now in low light and keeps growing and producing new shoots. Thanks for reviving the thread!

.when should zz be repotted?

Good question, I wish an expert could give an answer. Mine is doing great, little lite and water so i do not see a need for repotting, anyone???? Kayticci wants to know!

I don't grow ZZ's so I don't know if they enjoy being rootbound, but typically for most plants you want to repot right before the roots start growing in circles around the outside of the rootball. Sometimes you can tell by the size of the plant--if the plant looks huge relative to the size of your pot there's a good chance it should have been repotted a while ago. Or if in doubt, pop it out of the pot gently and look at the roots--if you see them starting to go in circles then it's time to repot.

Ecrane, thanks for the tip! Never thought of that! I do not think I need to repot mine since she is fairly new, maybe Kaytucci does!

In my experience they do like a little rootboundedness.

FWIW
David

So no repotting, lol, so confused now!

My advice was in general for most plants (which is why I mentioned that I didn't grow ZZ's and didn't know their particular requirements). Most plants will do better if you don't let them get rootbound, but there are always exceptions to every rule. Even plants that like to be a little rootbound though will need to be repotted eventually, you can just go for longer and let the roots wrap around a bit more before you have to repot.

Ecrane, you are so wise! Thank u so much for the input!

ZZ plants are awesome and are truely beautiful. I believe I am now hooked on these plants and will be trying to grow some from just leaves.

I am glad I saw this! I want a ZZ and have been trying the leaf method but they die, end of story. So what am I doing wrong??? I currently have one I think "might" be hanging on but it doesn't look as good as the picture provided..."sniff!"
I didn't know you could root them from a cutting without digging the entire stem out. So exciting! I will have to try this again! I will also be looking for the $9.99 plant. That would make life easier and please me endlessly. Wonderful thread!

Do you have just leaves or the whole stem with leaves??? Mine rooted in water after a few weeks. Good luck!

I love these plants. I bought one a little while ago and it was extremely pot bound - I had to cut off the pot with pruning shears!

I had just leaves. I had a stem in water just to try but it got mushy. :(
I had it with me for most of the day though, I wasn't able to get it into water right away. Maybe that was the problem.

So sad! Do you want a cutting??? Mine has grown BIG this winter, and I can send you one! When I had mine in water I changed the H2O very often, and she got roots, when I saw them I was in awe!

I never tried with the leaves, go up there on the thread and follow instructions from the experts!

LOL, I will be in awe when it happens for me that's for sure! Thank you for your offer! I will give it another try here. It's so cold still I don't think it would survive the trip. Thank you though! This gives me hope. :)

Ok I will be waiting for you, lol. Hopefully you will succeed! Let me know either way. See I started this thread without a plant and now I have one. That means I can share!

This message was edited Feb 7, 2009 9:35 PM

It sounds like your ZZ in incredibly happy! I will have to envy yours for now LOL! I intend to try again asap. Just have to find a willing victim "Muahahaha!" Thankfully the leaf giver will probably separate with a stem. Otherwise you may be hearing from me. :)