When I first brought home a ZZ plant, I was smitten by how easy it was to care for. No fussy watering schedules. No wilting tantrums. Just a low-key, sculptural plant that quietly existed in whatever corner I placed it. But then I noticed something. It wasn’t doing much of anything. No new leaves, no new stalks. Just… stillness.
That’s when I realized Zamioculcas zamiifolia, the ZZ plant’s proper name, isn’t lazy. It’s just slow. Very slow. If you’re like me and love seeing a plant actually grow, you might find yourself wondering how to speed things up. Good news is, you can. While there’s no magic fertilizer that turns a ZZ into a monster grower overnight, there are specific things I’ve done to help mine go from frozen to thriving. Here’s what actually worked.
How To Grow ZZ Plants Quicker
1. Start With a Healthy Foundation
Before anything else, you want to give your ZZ the best possible starting point. It might sound obvious, but if your plant came from a crowded nursery shelf or sat in a grocery store for too long, it could be a little sluggish from the start. I always check for firm, upright stalks and deep green leaves. Mushy rhizomes or yellowing leaves are signs to steer clear.
When I first got serious about helping mine grow faster, I started by gently removing the plant from its pot to check the roots. Healthy rhizomes look like little potatoes. If they’re soft or smelly, that plant’s going to need some rehab before it grows at all. A solid foundation means everything. Skip this, and all the light and water in the world won’t help.
2. Give It More (Indirect) Light
I used to believe the ZZ was the perfect plant for a dark corner, and while that’s not entirely wrong, it’s also not where it grows best. Mine was parked near a hallway lamp for months, and it just sat there doing nothing. Once I moved it to a brighter, indirect light source near an east-facing window, it started to shift.
ZZ plants will survive in low light, but they won’t grow much. To kickstart those new shoots, I gave mine a spot that gets soft, filtered light for most of the day. South or east-facing windows are ideal, with a sheer curtain if the sun is too intense. Too much direct light can scorch the leaves, but a good dose of brightness tells the plant it’s safe to grow.
3. Adjust Your Watering Routine
I used to water on a schedule. Once a week, like clockwork. That routine nearly killed my ZZ. These plants store water in their rhizomes and prefer to dry out completely before getting a drink. Overwatering doesn’t just stall growth. It leads to root rot, and once that happens, it’s hard to recover.
Now, I check the soil by sticking my finger two inches down. If it feels dry, I water. If it’s even slightly damp, I wait. In winter, I might water once a month. In summer, maybe twice. The less you interfere, the better. Once I stopped forcing hydration and let the plant guide me, I noticed it started putting out new growth much more reliably.
4. Use the Right Soil Blend
Soil makes a bigger difference than I expected. My original ZZ came in dense, moisture-retaining potting mix. It looked fine but stayed damp for too long. Once I switched to a blend designed for succulents and cacti, I saw a major improvement.
Now I use a mix that’s loose and gritty. Usually one part cactus soil, one part perlite, and a bit of orchid bark for airflow. This kind of soil drains fast and doesn’t compact over time. ZZ roots need oxygen just as much as water, and a lighter mix helps them breathe and grow without drowning in moisture.
5. Repot When It’s Truly Ready
This one took me by surprise. ZZ plants like being root-bound. They’ll tolerate tight conditions for a while, but once the pot is completely full of rhizomes and roots, growth slows way down. I knew it was time to repot when mine cracked its plastic nursery pot wide open.
I repot only when I see clear signs like roots poking through the bottom or stalks crowding the center. When I do, I go up just one pot size and keep the new soil light and airy. Too big of a jump can stress the plant. After repotting in early spring, I’ve often seen a flush of new shoots within a month or two. Timing makes all the difference.
6. Fertilize Gently in the Growing Season
I used to think ZZ plants didn’t need fertilizer at all, but that’s only partly true. They don’t need much, but if you’re hoping for faster growth, a little bit goes a long way. I use a balanced houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength, about once every four to six weeks during spring and summer.
Feeding outside of the growing season is a waste and can actually harm the plant. So I stop completely in fall and winter. When I do fertilize, I water right afterward to help distribute nutrients. This step helped me turn a slow grower into a more active one, especially once I got the lighting and watering right too.
7. Clean Those Leaves
This tip felt minor at first, but now it’s part of my regular care. ZZ leaves are naturally glossy, but they attract dust like magnets. I used to ignore it until I realized dust buildup was actually limiting the plant’s ability to absorb light. Less light equals slower photosynthesis, which means slower growth.
Now I wipe each stalk down with a soft, damp cloth every couple of weeks. It only takes a minute or two, and the leaves look noticeably brighter afterward. I sometimes rotate the plant at the same time so each side gets equal light. It’s a small ritual that genuinely helps the plant thrive.
8. Maintain a Stable, Warm Environment
Plants don’t like surprises, and the ZZ is no different. Mine really hit a growth spurt once I placed it in a consistently warm room with no drafts, no temperature swings, and no cold windows nearby. They prefer temps between 65 and 80°F. Anything colder can slow metabolism and put the plant in a state of hibernation.
In the winter, I make sure it’s not near heaters or vents that dry the air. I’ve found that a warm, still spot with decent humidity keeps mine happy. I don’t run a humidifier, but I do group plants together to create a little microclimate. That alone keeps the leaf edges looking healthy and encourages faster growth in spring.
9. Start With Rhizome Division, Not Leaf Cuttings
If your goal is more ZZ plants that grow quickly, skip the leaf-in-soil method. I’ve tried it, and while it’s fun to experiment, it’s painfully slow. Some cuttings took over six months just to show roots. Instead, I’ve had much more success with dividing the plant at the rhizome when repotting.
This approach lets you start with a mature piece of the plant, complete with roots and stalks. It bounces back quickly and continues growing with far less lag time. If your ZZ is big enough to divide, this is hands-down the fastest way to multiply your collection. I’ve even shared divided ZZs with friends, and theirs grew faster than any leaf cutting I’ve started.
Final Thoughts: It’s Still a ZZ Plant
Even with all these tweaks and improvements, I’ve learned to respect the nature of this plant. Zamioculcas zamiifolia isn’t a speed demon, and that’s part of its personality. The tips above won’t turn it into a pothos vine overnight, but they will encourage it to grow more consistently and with fewer hiccups.
Now, instead of watching it like a hawk, I check in once a week, admire the waxy leaves, and let it do its thing. When new stalks appear, they feel like a little reward. If you want a ZZ that grows faster, just make sure you’re giving it the right tools. Then step back and let the slow magic happen.