Zamioculcas

First described in 1828 by tropical plant collector Conrad Lodges as a calydium amyloid ( Caladium zamiifolium Lodd. ) ^[6] , then in 1856 by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott as Zamioculcas lodges (director Zamioculcas loddigesii Schott in 1908, ^7] The Berlin Botanical Garden , gave it the modern name Zamioculcas zamiifolia ( Lodd. ) Engl. ^[8] .

In 1929, German botanist Gustav Albert Peter described Zamioculcas lanceolata Peter ^[9] , found mainly in Mozambique , with more lanceolate leaf blades, but today it is rarely isolated as an independent species.

Described in 1870, Zamioculcas boivinii Decne. ^[10] was later assigned to another genus - Gonatopus boivinii ( Decne. ) Engl. ^[11] .

A herbaceous plant with a thick tuberous rhizome .

The leaves are glossy, dark green, complex feathers, up to 1 m long, swollen at the base. The plant is evergreen , but may drop leaves in the event of drought .

Until the end of the 20th century, Zamioculcas was practically not known as indoor culture . But with the start of mass sales at Dutch flower auctions in 1996, it gained widespread popularity among both amateurs and professionals in indoor floriculture and gardening specialists and is still popular.

In August 2007, the first Zamioculcas cultivar was introduced - miniature, it does not look different from the usual one, only the bush is more compact (grows up to 60 cm) and the leaves are correspondingly smaller.

Zamioculcas (sometimes called the dollar tree) is an unpretentious plant that tolerates low humidity and partial dimming, but for normal development it is advisable to keep the plant in a bright place without direct sunlight. It reacts poorly to excessive soil moisture and stagnation of water, so after irrigation it is necessary to drain the water from the pan. Zamioculcas does not show special requirements for soil; turf, sheet soil and sand in a ratio of 1: 1: 1 are excellent.

The plant propagates by dividing the tuber and by rooting the leaves or individual leaf blades.

The inflorescence of Zamioculcas is hardly noticeable, does not differ in special beauty and is a light creamy cob formed on a short thick peduncle. The light green veil surrounding the inflorescence perfectly masks it among the green leaves, so you won’t notice it right away. In indoor conditions, zamioculcas blooms very rarely.

Like most representatives of the aroid family, the plant juice contains substances that can cause irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, so it is recommended to transplant the plant with gloves and use caution when working with it, especially when transplanting tubers. You should also avoid getting parts of the plant inside. Nevertheless, we are not talking about the toxicity or poisonousness of the plant - touching leaves, flowers or other parts of the plant does not cause poisoning or allergic reactions, and its maintenance at home does not lead to poor health ^[12] .

• Zamioculcas zamiifolia (English) : Taxon information on the Tropicos website.
• Zamiokulkas amyloid (rus.)
• The Zamioculcas homepage, detailed information