Plant guide:ðŸŒŋ ZZ Plant
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Roots

Rhizome Rot in ZZ Plant

Commonly affects: Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ Plant)

Stems become soft and mushy at the base, sometimes detaching easily from the rhizome, and the underground rhizome itself appears brown, soft, and foul-smelling when checked.

Potential Causes

  1. 1Overwatering, since the rhizome is specifically adapted to store water and rots quickly in constantly wet soil
  2. 2Poorly-draining soil or a pot without adequate drainage
  3. 3Watering too frequently for a plant that tolerates significant drought

Solution Steps

  1. 1Remove the plant from its pot and cut away all soft, rotten rhizome tissue with a sterilised blade
  2. 2Repot into fresh, well-draining potting mix
  3. 3Water far less often going forward, letting soil dry out completely between waterings
  4. 4Save any healthy rhizome sections and stems for propagation if the original plant is severely affected

Prevention Tip

The ZZ Plant's rhizome is essentially a built-in drought reserve — treat this plant more like a succulent than a typical tropical houseplant when it comes to watering.

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