ZAMIOCULCAS ZAMIIFOLIA

Family Araceae

Zamioculcas zamiifoliais a unique aroid (a plant from the Arum family) from East Africa.  The name is derived from the Cycad genus Zamia and to the genus Colacasia.  Zamioculcas zamiifoliais has an underground (succulent) rhizome, it is evergreen and if it becomes too dry the plant will lose it’s leaves becoming deciduous, so enabling it to survive droughts.  This is a hardy arid plant; the leaves, which have a high water holding capacity, can live from four to six months without water or light.

This is usually seen as a foliage plant although it does flower when it is ‘happy’!  Zamioculcas zamiifoliais is not particular regarding soil quality, but over watering will be the death of the plant.  It tolerates low light levels and prefers to be grown out of direct sun particularly the mid-day sun.

Zamioculcas zamiifoliais is easily propagated by leaf cuttings, take a leaf and plant it into a gritty compost.  It may take up to a year for this to root properly.

It is said that Zamioculcas zamiifoliais is extremely poisonous.  On the other hand it is used in Tanzania to treat earache and in the treatment of certain inflammatory conditions and the roots are applied to treat ulceration.

Department of Plant and Environmental Science at the University of Copenhagen (2014) said that the plant has air purifying qualities for the indoor environment – it is able to remove volatile organic compounds including, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene.

 

ZEPHYRANTHES

Family Amaryllidaceae

Zephyranthes, better known as Rain lilies, are native to the Western Hemisphere.  Soon after the rains have started, these delicate plants burst into flower, the blooms last a day, but more come. Plant the bulbs around the roots of a tree is one of the best places as they are unlikely to be disturbed.  They flower better in full sun.  Up dated 11/9/2018

Zephyranthe candida is the white variety.

Zephyranthe cirtina has a yellow flower a little like the Crocus.

Zephyranthe grandiflora has a pink flower.

 

ZINNIA

Family Asteraceae

Zinnia grows naturally in the dry grasslands of America and Mexico. The plant was named in honour of the German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn (1727-1759).

Zinnias flourish at the coast with a little care, and are worth the effort. They give a blaze of colour over long periods of time and re-seed easily. From time to time new seeds should be brought in to improve the colour range as the re seeds revert fast. Seed should be sown directly in flower beds or pots as they don’t like being transplanted.

Updated 11/9/2018