Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Raven'

The South Korean origin of Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Raven’

Hyuk Jin Lee discovered the dark-leaved branch mutation now known as Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Raven’ on a cultivated plant in Seoul, South Korea, in 2006 and propagated it as ‘Dowon’. Both names refer to the same mutation.

The species is native from Kenya along eastern Africa to KwaZulu-Natal, growing in seasonally dry forest, bushland and rocky shade.

Care for dark ZZ plant foliage and rhizomes

Feeding, repotting and propagation: Apply a weak complete feed only during active shoot production. Repot after the rhizomes have filled the available volume, preserving their established depth and avoiding needless root breakage. Division of a multi-rhizome clump gives the fastest true-to-type result. Leaflet and petiole cuttings can also make new rhizomes slowly, and their eventual shoots should pass through the same natural green-to-dark colour change.

Light and repotting: Give Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Raven’ bright filtered light for compact, steady growth, while protecting it from abrupt intense sun. Fresh shoots emerge lime green and darken through bronze to near black as they harden; this is normal and does not require lower light or special treatment. Keep Zamioculcas ‘Raven’ in its supplied container until the foliage is firm and fresh root or shoot growth shows that the plant has recovered; divide, repot or take cuttings only after that point.

Watering, root care and light: Use a porous, rapidly draining mix in a container closely fitted to the rhizomes. Water completely, discard all runoff and wait until the mix has dried deeply. The dark mature leaflets and swollen underground storage organs do not indicate a need for constant moisture. In winter or low light, the interval may become long; confirm pot weight and subsurface dryness before watering.

ZZ Plant Problems and Solutions

Fresh ‘Raven’ growth emerges lime or bright green and darkens through purple to near black as it hardens. Green new leaves are therefore not reversion. Yellowing with soft brown rhizomes, collapsing leaf stalks or sour wet mix points to rot. Remove all soft tissue and repot only firm material in an airy mix.

Wrinkling above a very dry pot with firm rhizomes usually means severe drought. Rehydrate completely, drain and allow another deep dry-down. Scale and mealybugs can hide on leaf stalks and under leaflets, while cold injury creates glassy-looking dark tissue. Confirm insects or root damage rather than judging the plant from colour alone.

Mature near-black leaves and green juvenile shoots can coexist for weeks. Very low light slows both growth and the colour transition, but darkness should not be used to force black foliage. Leaflet propagation is also slow, and its eventual new shoot should pass through the same natural green-to-dark sequence.

Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Raven' contains substances toxic to people and pets

• This plant is toxic to humans, cats and dogs if ingested.
• Leaves and stems contain needle-like, insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
• Chewing can cause immediate burning mouth pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian after pet exposure or a medical professional after human exposure, especially if swelling or breathing trouble occurs.

Zamioculcas zamiifolia: name and meaning

Zamioculcas combines the genus names Zamia and Colocasia. The epithet zamiifolia means having leaves like Zamia, referring to the resemblance of the compound foliage to that cycad genus.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott established the genus Zamioculcas in 1856 in Synopsis Aroidearum, page 71.

George Loddiges first described it as Caladium zamiifolium in 1829 in The Botanical Cabinet, volume 15, plate 1408. Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler later placed it in Zamioculcas as Zamioculcas zamiifolia in 1905 in Das Pflanzenreich, IV, 23B, page 305.