Paging Dr. Greenthumbs
Dear Ivy,
I wanted to ask you a plant question. I’ve inherited the responsibilities of caring for the dilapidated peacy lily at my mom’s taekwondo school. It’s about eight feet from the windows so I’m wondering what other problems I should tackle first.
The damage is pretty typical: tips and edges of the biggest leaves are crispy [...]
ZZ Emergency
Dear Ivy,
I had 2 very healthy ZZ plants (several branches over 2 feet long), that I left outside for a few weeks in the Sydney winter. They were in a dry spot but when I brought them in side, most branches died off, lost their leaves and even fell off the plant; one has [...]
Yellow ZZ
Dear Ivy,
The leaves of my Zanzibar Gem are yellow, I think it has been over watered. What should I do?
-Karen
Dear Karen,
Although the ZZ can tolerate drought, they also will relish lots of water. The yellowing of the leaves could be due to poor water quality. Some municipalities put flouride and chlorine into their water systems, [...]
Deja Vu…
Dear Readers,
I’ve been getting loads of mail the last few months about the toxicity of the Zamioculcas Zamiifolia, also known as the Zanzibar Gem, or the ZZ plant. I got one question recently that asked if ZZ releases toxic gases. I also got one that asked how to properly dispose of a ZZ plant, so [...]
Reader Mail
Hi Ivy,
I am writing partly for information and partly to help other people. We are staying with some friends at the moment and this evening my 11 month old boy had a bad experience with Zanzibar Gem. He was playing with the plant and broke one of the branches off and started chewing on it. [...]
Re-Potting a Cast Iron Plant
Dear Ivy,
How do I re-pot a Zanzibar Gem?
-Putting New Roots Down
Dear Roots,
Easily! You can treat the ZZ like you would most any plant when re-potting, with just a few things tailored specifically to this species. Find a pot that’s a bit bigger than the one your plant is currently taking residence in. Make sure it [...]
Dear Ivy,
Is Zanzibar Gem toxic?
-Frettin’ Freddy
Dear Freddy,
Unfortunately, yes, this beautiful African native is poisonous if you eat it. All parts of the plant are. From the glossy gem-green leaves down the tubular stems to the potato-like water storage organ above the roots. So keep it out of reach of pets and curious toddlers…
And no snacking!
-Ivy
Night Stalks
Dear Ivy,
Is bringing potted plants into our bedroom during the evening a healthful practice?
-Winkin, Blinkin and Sod
Dear Winkin, et all…
Here is a short lesson in botany…
When plants are exposed to sunlight during the day, they use their energy for photosynthesis. This creates oxygen as a by-product. During the evening, when there is no sunlight, and [...]
Even Plants Get the Winter Blues
Dear Ivy,
The branches of my Croton are old and black looking, help!
Sincerely,
Croaking Croton
Dear Croaking,
My first reaction, since it’s the dead of Winter would be to say that your Croton is being exposed to a draft! Croton is a tropical plant that needs constant warm temperatures to thrive. This beautiful house plant is a bit demanding, [...]
Gem Dilemma
Dear Ivy,
My Zanzibar Gem looks healthy as the leaves are glossy, but recently I have noticed that the stalks of the plant have blotches all over them, almost like they are bruised or look like little wet patches (but it’s dry) I only water once a month. Any ideas what it might be and how [...]