How to prune a ZZ plant

How to prune a ZZ plant

1. 01

   Choose what to remove

   Prune a fully faded leaf or flower stalk and, if needed, a yellow or damaged stalk at soil level. Do not shear individual glossy leaflets.

   Use pruning to remove finished or damaged growth and keep the container presentable. A healthy ZZ does not need routine pruning.

2. 02

   Prune at the right time

   There is no pruning calendar. Remove faded or damaged growth when it is clearly finished instead of cutting healthy growth to create a routine.

3. 03

   Make one clean cut

   Use a clean, sharp tool to cut the finished or damaged leaf stalk at the soil line. A healthy stalk taken at its base for propagation is a different job.

4. 04

   When pruning will not help

   Do not shear a ZZ into a preferred outline. Its leaves grow from water-storing rhizomes, and it needs no pruning beyond removing faded growth.

5. 05

   Care for the plant after pruning

   After a cut, keep the plant in bright indirect or tolerated low light, a well-drained indoor mix and a dry-down-before-watering routine. Do not add extra water or fertilizer because a stalk was removed.