ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is one of the most widely grown plants in homes and offices around the world. This plant is native to the tropical forests of Africa.
The process of caring for this plant does not require too much effort, fertilizer, or pruning. Therefore, many people have chosen the ZZ plant to make bonsai in the corners of the house.
However, now on the forums, many gardeners share about misting the ZZ plant. This opinion received mixed responses about whether or not it should.
Many people believe that misting is necessary to provide moisture. In it, others believe that this action is just a waste of time and has no effect.
ZZ plant misting? Does this really benefit plants in terms of moisture retention? To answer this question, let’s find out more information together.
Do you need misting for the ZZ plant?
The answer is not necessary!
The ZZ plant does not like to be sprayed continuously several times a day. You do not need to mist to retain moisture and stimulate growth.
People spray mist to clean dirt on leaves and stems, not to keep plants moist.
The reason for this action is that many people think that misting improves humidity and stimulates the growth of the ZZ plant.
Scientific studies show that misting increases humidity slightly. However, the foliage that is always wet is also a favorable condition for fungi and pests to develop.
Researchers have shown that if the humidity in your room is below 50%, misting doesn’t increase humidity much.
Meanwhile, if the humidity is above 60%, misting will cause water to stay on the leaves for a long time.
Therefore, the humidity in your room is high, and if you continue to mist the ZZ plant, it will create favorable conditions for the fungus to grow.
Misting has little effect if the humidity in the room is too low. However, this is not enough to provide ideal humidity for the ZZ plant. Therefore, you need to take other measures as well as tools to improve humidity.
Advantages of misting
- Helps retain moisture for a few minutes when the ZZ plant suffers from dehydration or heat shock
- Foliage cleaning
- Mist with neem oil mixture to help prevent pests
Disadvantages of misting
- Maintain moisture for a few minutes, does not have much effect, needs to be done continuously, takes time
- Leaves that are always wet will create a favorable environment for fungi to grow
- Misting with the neem mixture incorrectly will damage the leaves
Some notes when misting
- Do not use hot or cold water. This will cause the ZZ plant to go into shock and wilt
- The mist is only in the morning, avoid misting in the late afternoon and evening. ZZ plant is a plant that loves indirect sunlight, so if you mist it in the late afternoon or evening, the high humidity will cause mold to attack the plant
- Only mist a few times a day, don’t mist too much
What humidity is suitable for the ZZ plant?
The ZZ plant is native to the tropical forests of Africa. Its preferred temperature is between 65 and 75 degrees F and humidity is between 40-50%.
Typically, the humidity in the air in homes in the United States is about 50%. Therefore, this is the ideal humidity for growing ZZ plants in homes and offices.
In particular, the ZZ plant is sturdy and vigorous, so if the humidity is not ideal it can still grow and survive
However, the humidity will be influenced by factors such as location, weather, and indoor heating or cooling systems.
These factors will affect the humidity in the room and make the transpiration process of the ZZ plant faster.
Therefore, it is important that you check the humidity in the room to avoid too high or too low humidity affecting the growth of the ZZ plant.
You can use a hygrometer to control the humidity in your home. This device will display temperature and humidity when there are fluctuations each time.
What are the signs that the ZZ plant needs more moisture?
If the moisture is too much, the ZZ plant will appear to mold and pests. Meanwhile, if this plant needs more moisture, it also has some signs as follows:
- Withered, yellow or brown leaves
- Dry leaves and curled edges
- Leaves curled up
- Leaves lose color
- The plant is drooping from lack of water
These are all warning signs that the humidity in the room is too low, causing the respiratory process of the ZZ plant to be affected. It is important that you regulate the temperature, and provide adequate water for the plant.
Read more: Are Zz Plants Toxic To Cats? The Scary Truth About This Houseplant
How to maintain ideal humidity for the ZZ plant?
Misting is not enough action to maintain ideal humidity for the ZZ plant. Therefore, you need to have a plan to continuously improve humidity, especially during periods of heat and drought.
The ideal humidity for the ZZ plant is 40-50%, so if the humidity drops below 30%, you can take some of the following methods to improve humidity.
Use a humidifier
A humidifier is an effective device that helps you control and balance the humidity in your room. It will reduce or increase humidity to maintain at 40-50%.
This will create an ideal living space for the ZZ plant to grow and thrive.
Add an aquarium
As you know, plants are always green and grow quickly next to lakes or areas with water. A water tank will provide a space with ideal humidity.
The water in the aquarium will evaporate naturally and balance the humidity in the space to help the ZZ plant grow better. Aquariums can increase humidity by 5% on hot, dry days.
Gather tropical plants together
You can place tropical plants next to each other to improve humidity. Plants release small amounts of moisture during transpiration, so this amount of moisture will benefit other plants.
So, gathering plants together will help improve the humidity in your home significantly. However, you need to be aware that fungi and pests will spread very quickly from one plant to another.
If one plant is sick, the other plants will also spread very quickly. Therefore, you need to remove the pathogens to avoid spreading to other plants.
Final conclusion
Misting for the ZZ plant is not a must in the process of taking care of this plant. Misting only clears leaves and improves humidity slightly.
However, if you mist regularly and improperly, fungi and pests can attack the ZZ plant due to the humid environment.
To help the ZZ plant grow well, you need to maintain and balance the ideal humidity between 40-50%. Use a hygrometer to measure temperature and humidity regularly for timely handling.
You can use a humidifier, place an aquarium or gather tropical plants to take advantage of the moisture from the plants. In addition, you should avoid spreading fungi and pests from one plant to another.