ZZ Plant or Zamioculcas zamiifolia

Botanical Name: Zamioculcas zamiifolia

ZZ Plant has become increasingly popular in recent years and I believe it deserves all the attention it's been getting.

The Aroid family has given us more dependable house plants than any other group and Zamioculcas zamiifolia is no exception. This is a worthwhile house plant to add to your collection.

ZZ makes a great room accent and practically thrives on neglect. This easy-going house plant is forgiving if you forget to water, tolerates low light, and rarely needs fertilized. Want more? It also seems to shrug off pests.

Growing from rhizomes, it has thick, upright stems bearing narrow, dark-green glossy leaves. Keep the leaves clean by gently wiping them with a damp cloth. Don't use leaf shine products, which can damage the plant.

Small, insignificant flowers -- consisting of a spadix surrounded by a spathe -- may appear at the base of plants in summer, although ZZs rarely flower indoors.

A slow-grower indoors, ZZ plant rarely needs repotted. Keep it in a small pot (no more than 2 in (5 cm) wider than the old pot) with drainage holes to prevent root rot.

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Overwatering ZZ is a sure-fire way to kill it. To avoid soggy soil, use a fast-draining mix. You can add sand or perlite to a potting mix or use a cactus mix.