Your houseplants will inevitably need repotting if you have given them the right amount of time, water, nutrients, and light. The well-known ZZ plant is no different. When should ZZ plants be potted again? Do ZZ plants like to have their roots confined, or must you report them before they reach that point? Learn how to report a ZZ plant by reading about it.
About ZZ Plants
Popular ZZ plants have unusual upright, zigzag-patterned leaves due to their resemblance in appearance to Zamia spp. Cycads were given the Latin name Zamioculcas zamifolia. The Latin name is shortened to form its common name.
ZZ plants are aroids linked to elephant ears, anthruium, and philodendron, despite having cycad-like appearances. The ability of ZZ plants to retain water in their rhizomes, like these other aroids, has enabled the species to flourish in its native Eastern Africa, which is home to desert-like environments.
ZZ plants can still grow to heights of 3-4 feet (just under a meter to just over) and 3 feet wide, albeit they do so more slowly inside than they do in their natural habitat.
My ZZ Plant: Should I Repot It?
The ZZ plant is not one of those houseplants that like being root or pot restricted. They need much room in a planter due to their massive subterranean rhizomes. If your ZZ plant’s roots are restricted, it is time to repot it.
Roots from the pot’s bottom or roots visible above the surface rather than potting soil are obvious signs that a ZZ plant is root-bound. If after watering the plant, the water instantly drains out of the drainage holes, you also have a root pound ZZ plant.
Other indications that it is time to report a ZZ plant include pale or flaccid foliage and a plant that has ceased growing.
The rhizomes of the ZZ plant cannot be repotted within the same container as other houseplants due to root trimming. You must choose a bigger pot to report the ZZ plant in as an alternative. A ZZ plant should typically be repotted every two years.
Repotting ZZ Plant
When a ZZ plant gets pot-bound, the water-holding rhizomes are vulnerable to root rot. ZZ plants that are root-bound struggle to get adequate water, air, and nutrients.
Choose a pot size one size bigger than the one your ZZ plant is growing in before repotting it. It may be tempting to choose a larger size (so you do not have to report as often), but a large pot can cause the soil to dry out too slowly, which might lead to root rot in the rhizomes.
Wear gloves when removing the ZZ plant from its previous container. Calcium oxalate, which ZZ plants produce, may irritate the skin.
When adequately attired, carefully turn the root-bound ZZ plant upside down & pull it from the old container. Fresh potting soil should fill the new container approximately 1/3 of the way. After setting the plant on the new dirt, add more soil to the surrounding area. Lightly compact the dirt and water the plant.
Another Option When Repotting ZZ Plant
You may divide your current pot-bound ZZ plant between making it smaller if you do not have, can not get, or have no space for a bigger pot.
Wash out most of the dirt from the rhizomes before removing the plant from the old container. This will enable you to see them more clearly. Using a knife, you will cut the rhizomes apart.
If you are fortunate, the plant may have given rise to fully formed rhizomes that are only loosely connected to the parent plant. Separating the pup from the mom will need a rapid cut using a sterile knife. Seek for rhizomes with a stem.
If not, you may cut the plant into quarters or smaller pieces by making a clean cut (without a saw). After dividing the ZZ, let the rest of the portion for a few hours overnight before transplanting them.
