Zamia: description, types and care at home

Zamia is exotic houseplant, which is characterized by an unusual appearance and is able to attract attention. People who want to acquire such an unusual representative of the flora should not be afraid of his capriciousness and exactingness, since these characteristics are not inherent in the flower.

Zamia belongs to the representatives of the Sagovnikov family and the Zamiev family. This representative of the flora has been preserved on the planet since the time of the dinosaurs. Many plant species inhabit the warm, humid undergrowth of the rainforest in the Americas. Other representatives of the zamia have easily adapted to the conditions of the subtropics and are part of garden landscaping. Individuals that are grown as indoor plants delight flower growers with their unpretentiousness and lack of difficulties in growing.

This variety of indoor plant is quite similar to the dollar tree, but there is still a difference in them. The difference from zamioculcas is that Zamia bears a direct resemblance to conifers, and the dollar tree is a succulent. Plants can also be distinguished by the appearance of the leaf plates. In zamiokulkas they are pointed, and in the second representative they are rounded and have the shape of a spatula.

Zamia in its natural environment is a fairly tall plant, but at home it does not exceed 1.5 meters. The flower belongs to evergreen and has a shortened trunk, partially located in the ground. The leaves of this exotic plant look quite impressive, they are fleshy and shiny. Depending on the species, zamia can have a different leaf plate shape, as well as its color. The leaf is not only green, but also olive.

An exotic plant is dioecious, therefore he has both females and males. The females show beautiful bud blooming. In indoor conditions, the flower grows rather slowly, since it has a long life span. After 12 months, only one leaf can form on the plant, in some cases several of them appear. Zamia blooms rarely.

In the natural environment, there are more than 50 varieties of zamia, not every representative is able to feel good growing indoors. Florists can become owners of the following species of this plant.

• "Dwarf". This plant is endemic, small in size, so this flower is ideal for small rooms. The location of the trunk is concentrated in the soil. On the ground surface, there is shortened foliage. The length of the underground part is 0.25 meters, so if you want to grow such a flower, you should buy a deep pot. Dwarf zamia is a drought-resistant representative that grows at high temperatures.

• "Flint". Zamia of this species is capable of growing leaves in an amount from 3 to 5. When a new leaf appears, the old one dies off. The stem is concentrated inside the substrate, it stores nutrients that become necessary at the time of deficiency.

• "False parasitic". A representative of this species has the ability to grow not only in the soil, but also on the trunk of a thick tree. The stem is characterized by a short length, thickening, and the presence of long foliage about 3 meters in size.

• Florida Zamia - a deciduous leaf that has the ability to shed leaves when the air temperature drops to 15 degrees Celsius. The root of the representative is quite long, so in case of transplantation, you need to prepare a narrow and deep container. Females are characterized by the presence of strobiles. The plant attracts attention with its leaves, which have a characteristic shine and smoothness.

• "Luscious" zamia or "Furfuracea". This representative of the variety is especially popular as an ornamental plant. The young flower has stems deep in the ground, but as time passes, the underground part begins to come out. There are scales on the foliage, so the plant got its name "husky", "rough" or "scaly". The flower can produce about 13 leaves that look like a green ball.

• "Broadleaf" zamia belongs to the medium-sized representatives of the variety, the length of its leaves does not exceed 100 centimeters. The trunk is characterized by a cone-shaped shape and is located above the ground. At the top of the flower, 2-4 leaves are concentrated, which have an oblong shape, so the plant has an exotic appearance.

Correct home care is required for replacement. This is a light-loving representative of the flora, therefore it easily tolerates direct sunlight. But at the same time, the florist must remember that on hot summer days, the flower needs shading. To form a uniform leaf rosette, the flower needs to be turned several times a day.

This plant is considered thermophilic, therefore, for normal life, it needs a high temperature in the room. The optimal indicator is considered to be 25-28 degrees above zero. In the winter period of the year, it is worth keeping the zamia in cool conditions, at a temperature of 17 degrees.

The plant does not have any special requirements for air humidity. For hygienic purposes, flower growers recommend periodically wiping the foliage with a damp cloth. In the warm season, zamia requires abundant irrigation, but each subsequent watering must be carried out after the soil has dried out. For this event, you need to use an exceptionally soft, settled liquid. In autumn, irrigation is reduced, and in winter, irrigation should be scarce.

The flower reacts negatively to stagnant water, but it should not be allowed to dry out completely. Fertilize zamia in the warm season 1 time for 3 weeks. To feed a flower, it is worth using a complex fertilizer, which is specially designed for decorative deciduous representatives of the flora. In the cool and winter seasons, the plant does not need feeding.

The soil for growing zamia must be nourished with micro and macro elements. To prepare the substrate yourself, it is worth mixing an equal amount of leaf and sod soil, as well as peat, humus, sand, granite chips. The exotic flower grows slowly, so it does not require frequent replanting. It is enough to transplant zamie once every 3 years; it should be done in the spring before the start of the active growth phase. A flower grower should also not forget about the need for high-quality drainage.

Reproduction of the plant is carried out by cuttings or using seeds. The latter are sown in a light earthy mixture, while deepening them by half. The planting is covered with foil and sent to a warm room. When sprouts appear, it is worth picking into separate small containers. In the second method of reproduction, the cuttings should be placed in water, and after the roots appear, the plant is planted in the substrate.

There are times when the scabbard attacks the zamia. This pest should be removed manually, after which the foliage should be washed with a soapy solution. In case of excessive infection of the plant, it is necessary to carry out treatment with special chemicals.

When growing an exotic representative of the flora, a florist may face the following difficulties.

• Withering of the flower and rotting of the stem. Reason: abundant irrigation in winter.
• The appearance of dry brown spots on the leaves. Reason: insufficient amount of minerals or insufficient watering.
• Abrupt dropping of foliage. Reason: watering with cold water or insufficient irrigation.

Zamia is a plant with special decorative properties. People who have a desire to decorate their interior with such an exotic plant should not be afraid of the difficulties of growing it. This representative of the flora belongs to unpretentious and undemanding flowers.

For information on how you can prepare a substrate for zamia, see the video below.