My ZZ Plant

At work I have four plants: three Christmas cacti and a ZZ plant. Two of the Christmas cacti are from my previous job, and I have posted pictures of their blooms – one blooms white, and the other blooms magenta. The third one was given to me on my last day of work by another coworker who was being laid off, and it blooms hot pink. When my office faced north over the lake, I wasn’t sure if they were going to get enough light, so I bought the ZZ plant. It cost three times what I would have expected for a plant its size, but it has not been a disappointment. The ZZ plant is an arum that looks vaguely like a cycad, and its scientific name, Zamioculcas zamifolia, reflects this, because it looks a little like cycads in the genus Zamia. However, unlike a cycad, it is supposed to be nearly impossible to kill, and you often see its glossy pinnate leaves in office buildings because it can survive happily in low light. Perfect for the north-facing window, I thought… and then I got moved to an office that faces east, so I brought in the Christmas cacti, who are supposed to love eastern exposures. They actually don’t look so happy, and the magenta-blooming one looks really sick, droopy and purple, but the ZZ plant couldn’t be happier. Right now it is growing even more leaves. Maybe it will be so happy that it will bloom, although the ZZ flower is nothing too exciting for the average viewer. However, for a botany nerd like me, it would be the height of excitement.

Famous Hat