Zuzu plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
Description
Zamioculcas plant, also known as Zanzibar gem, Zuzu plant or emerald palm, is a genus of flowering plant in the family Araceae, containing the single species Zamioculcas zamiifolia. It is a tropical perennial plant native to eastern Africa, from Kenya south to northeastern South Africa. It is a herbaceous plant growing to 45–60 centimetres (17.7–23.6 in) tall. It is normally evergreen, but becomes deciduous during drought, surviving drought due to the large potato-like rhizome that stores water until rainfall resumes. The leaves are pinnate, 40–60 centimetres (15.7–23.6 in) long, with 6–8 pairs of leaflets 7–15 centimetres (2.8–5.9 in) long; they are smooth, shiny, and dark green. The flowers are produced in a small bright yellow to brown or bronze spadix 5–7 centimetres (2.0–2.8 in) long, partly hidden among the leaf bases. The Zuzu plant has a flowering stage from mid summer to early autumn. The Zuzu plant contains an unusually high water contents of leaves (91%) and petioles (95%) and has an individual leaf longevity is at least six months which may be the reason it can survive extremely well under interior low light levels for four months without water.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Liliopsida
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Order: Alismatales
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Family: Araceae
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Genus: Zamioculcas
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