You can propagate a ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) three ways. Division, leaf cuttings, or rooting in water. Division is by far the fastest and gives you an instant second plant. Leaf cuttings work but test your patience, since they can take several months to form the underground tuber that becomes a new plant. Whichever route you choose, the watchword with ZZ plant propagation is patience.
The reason ZZ propagation is slow is the same reason the plant is so tough: it stores energy in fat underground rhizomes and grows on its own unhurried schedule. Understanding that makes the whole process far less frustrating.
Division: The Fastest Way to Propagate a ZZ Plant
If your ZZ has several stems and a decent clump of rhizomes, division is the quickest and most reliable method. Slide the plant out of its pot and brush away enough compost to see the pale, potato-like rhizomes underneath.
- Separate the clump into sections, each with at least one healthy rhizome and one or more stems.
- Tease the roots apart by hand where you can, and use a clean, sharp knife only where they will not pull free.
- Pot each section into a free-draining mix and water lightly.
Each division is effectively a finished plant, so you get instant results with no waiting. This is the method we would choose almost every time for a mature ZZ.
ZZ Plant Leaf Cuttings
ZZ plants can also grow from a single leaflet, which is remarkable but slow. Pull or cut a few plump leaflets from a stem, including the small base where the leaflet meets the stalk, and let the cut ends callus over for a few hours.
Push the base of each leaflet a centimetre into a moist, gritty mix and keep it warm and bright. Over the following months, a small tuber forms at the base, and only then does a new shoot appear. It is not unusual for this to take six to nine months, so treat leaf cuttings as a patience project rather than a quick win.
Propagating ZZ Plant in Water
Rooting in water is the easiest method to watch. Cut a whole stem near the base, sit it in a glass of water, and place it somewhere bright but out of direct sun. Change the water every few days to keep it fresh. Roots and eventually a small rhizome form over a couple of months. Once you see a rhizome and roots several centimetres long, pot the stem up into compost. As with any water propagation, move it to soil while the roots are still young, since ZZ water roots adapt poorly if left too long.
How Long Does ZZ Plant Propagation Take?
Division gives you a finished plant immediately. Water propagation takes roughly two to three months to produce something worth potting. Leaf cuttings are the marathon, often six months or more before a shoot appears. Warmth helps at every stage, so start in spring or summer if you can. Our overview of how long propagation takes for common houseplants puts these timings in context.
Want a plant to start from? Our classic ZZ plant is a fast, forgiving choice, and the near-black ZZ 'Raven' is well worth propagating once it is established. Both sit in our easy-care houseplant range.