In the course of my work, I often have to visit various departmental and state institutions. And once in the building of the regional council, I saw a plant – a bush with beautiful shiny leaves and unusual flower resembling a small corn cob. I assumed that it was probably unpretentious and hardy if it looked so wonderful even in a public place. And when I asked one of the staff members at the institution what the wonder was growing in their lobby, she said it was a Zamioculcas. Such a funny name. I was dying to get one of these Zamioculcas. I didn’t risk plucking a cuttings in a crowded facility – I went to a store.
So I have appeared Zamioculcas (Zamioculcas), information about which I collected on acquaintances, on the Internet, in a flower store, in special literature …
Description
Actually, in science this plant is called even funnier: Zamioculcas zamiifolia, because it has a resemblance to zamia, a rare holosemous plant. So what’s unusual about its appearance? That its trunk is a tuber with water reserves in the ground. And all those “sticks with leaves” are the leaves of an unusual pinnate shape, which are often mistaken for trunks. Sometimes they can be up to a meter long. The leaves are so close together that they seem to form a rosette.
The flower of the zamioculcas is unusual and unsightly at the same time: a small cob, similar to young corn, wrapped with a petal-cover in the shape of a sail. It blooms almost at the base of the trunk, so that it is not conspicuous. Therefore, zamioculcas can be considered a 100 percent ornamental-leaved plant.
And the leaves are very attractive indeed: regular in shape, almost always the same size and covered with a natural waxy patina, which not only protects the leaves in places where it naturally grows from sunburn and moisture evaporation, but also gives the plant a shiny, as if polished look.
Caring for Zamioculcas at home
Zamioculcas is similar to Diffenbahia and Callas in its natural properties. It belongs to the Aroidae family. Zamioculcas is an unpretentious plant, but care for zamioculcas at home is still needed.
Light
It can even be placed in a corner, but so that at least 6-8 hours of diffused sunlight falls on it.
The plant is quite large, so you can hardly put it on the window. But in general it can be placed anywhere in the apartment.
Watering zamioculcas
Watering zamiokulkas should only be done as the soil dries out. But watering it needs abundant. The moisture accumulates in the tuber, which is the stem. So, it is better to underwater than overwater, so that the tuber-stem does not start to rot.
Air humidity
Air humidity is also not particularly important. Except that with sufficient moisture it looks brighter and more luxurious. And if the air is very dry, the lower leaves may fall off. Although if you have had Zamioculcas for more than a year, don’t be surprised. Old leaves fall off simply by virtue of age.
Temperature
To the temperature regime zamiokulkas is also not too demanding. But it prefers warm air. Even in winter the temperature should not fall below 16 ° C. Endures periods of heat and drought also painlessly.
Soil for zamioculcas
For planting zamioculcas, a universal soil mixture can be used. It is quite balanced. If you compose the mixture yourself, its composition can be as follows: leaf soil, sod soil, peat, sand in equal parts. You can add sphagnum moss.
However, like other plants, this flower will grow well, if the pot has good drainage. After all, stagnant water is bad for any plant. And the tuber of zamiokulkas from this can also rot.
Feeding .
If you want your zamioculcas to grow big and powerful, you need to fertilize it. The fact is that this plant is naturally slow growing. Florists who want to propagate this flower from cuttings will have to wait a long time, new leaves do not appear often. A new shoot (aka a leaf) can in six months to a year. That’s why you need to fertilize zamiokulkas to accelerate growth.
Propagation
Since we have already started talking about propagation, it is worth mentioning at once that there are several ways to propagate zamioculcas. It is similar to Diffenbachia in this as well. Propagated by cuttings, parts of a compound leaf with a bud. And a large specimen can be divided into parts, so that each has at least one growth point. Root both cuttings and parts directly in a peat-sand mixture under a kind of greenhouse from a polyethylene cube or jar. As a result, a tuber (this is the stem) should form on which both the roots and the bud – the point of growth – will appear.
Transplanting
Young zamiokulkas grow more intensively than an adult specimen, so the pot has to be changed more often – as the size of the flower increases – that is, annually. Later, transplanting is needed every two years. A flower older than 6-7 years, in general, transplant once every 5 years.
So, the optimal conditions for zamiokulkas: a warm room, bright diffused light, moderate watering, periodic spraying.