Zanzibar Gem - Plant

Supplied in a standard nursery pot. Pot up into a larger planter with holes in the base, using humus-rich potting compost. Or stand the pot as it is in an attractive planter. A saucer is fine too. Water may be allowed to stay in the saucer as it evaporates or is absorbed. Water again only when saucer is empty or the soil feels dry.

Choose a warm and sunny spot for your Zanzibar Gem (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) - ideal is between 18 and 23° C. The plant requires little or no maintenance and the dry air of our homes, even above a radiator will not cause problems.

Water your houseplant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) regularly but sparingly. Once weekly will suffice. If stood above a radiator, more water will be required. Allow the pot to dry out somewhat but too much water, or even too little should not cause problems.
Feed a couple of times in spring and summer when watering, with a little food for leafy green plants when watering. This will encourage growth. Pot it up if you would like it to grow taller. Keeping it pot bound will keep it compact.
Stand outdoors in a summer shower to rinse off any dust. Sometimes spraying with rainwater is very helpful.

If you keep the Zanzibar Gem a little dryer and slightly cooler in winter, you may see some small green and white flowers appear that rather resemble the arum! This is really not a palm tree! The decorative leaves are really what this plant is about, not the flowers.

The Zanzibar Gem is an easily grown houseplant that can withstand dry air. The thick fleshy leaves, especially at the base store lots of moisture. This will be used as a reserve for when it gets too dry, similar to a succulent.

Zamioculcas zamiifolia is an ornamental houseplant, ideal for those difficult areas indoors, like a window-sill above the radiator. Zanzibar Gem can also be stood outdoors on the patio or decking in the summer but as soon as the temperature threatens to drop below 10° C, you must bring it indoors.

This plant is seldom (if ever) plagued by pests!

Although this plant resembles a succulent (Crassulaceae), it actually belongs to the arum family (one of the Araceae) and does not belong to the palm family (Arecaceae).