The ZZ plant

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I’d never heard of this until I bought one a few days ago …
I was in a well known high street retail store and looking (as usual) at the plants when I saw this :-

Strangely for many retail stores it was correctly labelled – Zamioculcas zamiifolia.

Now I sometimes buy a plant because I like the name, and this sounded rather unusual so I had to have one and into the basket it went :D

After I got home I looked it up and read that it’s common name was “ZZ plant” … which are the first letters of its two scientific names Zamioculcas zamiifolia.

It is also called “Zanzibar Gem” and is native to the eastern side of Africa, from Kenya to South Africa so has to be treated as an indoor plant here.

Having thick water retaining rhizomes it is drought tolerant, and should not be over-watered,
and actually in one of the places where it’s care is outlined it was suggested you “remember to forget watering it” :D

It is also said to be an air purifying plant, removing volatile organic compounds from the atmosphere, but I don’t know how effective this is.

It belongs to the Araceae family which includes the Arum Lily Zantendaschia, Peace plant Spathyphyllum, and Flamingo flower Anthurium etc …
and has the same type of flower, and I can’t wait to see if mine will produce some blooms soon.