8 Tips To Fix The ZZ Plant Brown Stem Issue

Does your ZZ plant have brown stems?

The brown stem issue is pretty common in most plants around the world, but it needs to be addressed quickly and properly.

If not, it can have a great impact on the plant.

This discoloration of stems could also be a sign of some underlying issue in your plant.

So, let’s see how you can immediately resolve this problem in the following guide. 

Why Is My ZZ Plant Stem Turning Brown?

If you’re a new plant parent, you might feel overwhelmed to see stems changing their color within a span of a few days.

But it generally happens due to some of the common gardening mistakes.

In this section, you will learn more about these mistakes and the reasons for this plant issue.

Now, let’s quickly take a look at them below.

1. You Have Been Overwatering Your ZZ Plant

Have you been watering your ZZ plant regularly?

If the answer is yes, this is likely to be the cause of the brown stem on your ZZ plant.

This plant doesn’t need a lot of water.

Unlike most indoor plants, the water requirements of this plant are pretty low.

If you overwater the plant, it will cause the rotting issue on the stem as well as roots.

Similarly, if you have been misting this plant, it can lead to a similar problem.

2. You Have Placed It In Direct Sunlight

Another thing that makes life difficult for the ZZ plant!

If you have been growing this plant in a bright and sunny place, it will cause stem burn or leaf burn on the plant.

The brown color you see on the stems could be the result of overexposure to the sun.

When the sunlight drops on these tender parts, the plant does depict this type of behavior.

3. The Stems Might Be Turning Old

Well, it may not be the most probable reason for this cause, but you should definitely check your plant thoroughly before ruling out this possibility.

If you have been growing this ZZ plant for a few years, you might see some stems turning brown due to the aging process.

It’s the natural way of the plant to get rid of the old parts and make way for the new ones in the process.

4. You Have Overfertilized Your ZZ Plant

Even though the fertilizers are considered great for the plant’s growth, they can cause severe damage if used incorrectly.

Overfertilization is the worst thing that can happen to a thriving plant in your home garden.

So, check whether you have been fertilizing your ZZ plant every month or so.

If you have fertilized it multiple times in a short period, you will see some of its effects on the stems and roots.

Sometimes, you might also get to see yellow leaves on this plant, and it’s just another indication of the same issue.

5. Your Plant Is Under Fungus Attack

It’s the most damaging factor that can make your ZZ plant stem turn brown.

If this is the case with your plant, the brown stem only indicates what’s coming next for the plant.

When the stems change their color to brown, it means the fungus has started to spread on the plant.

In a few weeks, it will take over the entire plant.

Then, you will see many stems turning black and wilting in the same period.

And that’s something you want to avoid at any cost.

If you don’t intervene at this stage, the plant will succumb to the damage caused by the fungus problem.

In the following segment, you will find some useful tips to resolve this issue and revive the plant at the same time.

Do check out these suggestions and implement them as early as you can.

Tips To Fix The ZZ Plant Brown Stem Issue

Here’s is the list of tips for you – 

1. Use Fungicides To Remove The Fungus

It’s the only tool you have to deal with the fungus issue on your ZZ plant.

Fungicides effectively stop the overgrowth of the nasty fungus, which makes the job a little easier while carrying out this task.

Now, there are many fungicide products available in the market.

You can get the ones that are suitable for indoor plants.

As for the usage, you will be able to see the guidelines or instructions on the package.

Follow those guidelines and spray them on the plant and soil accordingly.

You can also use Neem Oil for this process, which is an organic fungicide for plants.

Important: Do not expect quick results with this process.

This type of issue surfaces again even after the initial spray.

So, you might need to spray your fungicide once again after a week or so.

It will ensure the complete eradication of fungus on the plant.

That said, do not use a concentrated spray for better effect.

It won’t do any good to the plant and may result in leaf burn or stem burn.

2. Overturn The Soil For Fungus Growth Prevention

Once you are done with the above important task, you can use a shovel or spade and try to overturn the soil in the pot.

It’s an essential step in this process because it helps prevent the growth of fungus.

When you stir the top surface of the soil, it exposes the moist soil to air and light.

Eventually, the soil dries out quickly and stops the fungus growth present on the surface.

3. Stop Overwatering Your ZZ Plant

It’s pretty much self-explanatory now.

You should never overwater the ZZ plant.

If you have overwatered the plant, you should either repot or transplant it quickly.

It won’t be a great idea to keep growing your plant in the same soil.

Also, if the soil is moist, do not water the plant for at least a couple of weeks.

Let the soil turn dry before you water the plant for the next round.

4. Move The Plant To A Shaded Place

Exposure to direct light can also cause this plant to have brown stems.

So, it would be best to move it to a place that doesn’t receive too much sunlight.

In fact, you can prevent the plant from receiving direct light on its leaves or stems.

This is an ideal condition for the ZZ plants that you grow in indoor conditions.

It may do alright with some indirect sunlight, but avoid harsh sunlight all the time.

5. Keep It In A Slightly Humid Place

The ZZ plant doesn’t prefer absolutely dry spaces.

If you live in a place where the conditions become a little dry most of the time, it can make things difficult for the plant.

So, try to keep it in a room where the humidity levels are slightly more than other rooms in your home.

The kitchens and bathrooms generally have more humidity than other rooms, so you may experiment a bit by keeping the plant in such rooms.

But yes, do observe the plant’s growth and see how it’s doing in these conditions.

Note: If the plant is already facing a fungus issue, you shouldn’t place it in bathrooms.

The high humidity in the room will increase the growth of fungus on the plant.

6. Prune The Dead Brown Stems

Yes, it would help if you got rid of the dead brown stems from the plant.

The dead stems won’t come back to life magically.

Moreover, these stems will also have fungus, so do not throw them in the compost bin.

Discard them entirely and do clean the scissors with some soap after you complete this task.

7. Do Not Fertilize The Plant For A Few Months

As I mentioned earlier in the guide, the ZZ plant doesn’t require much fertilizer.

It is meant for harsh and arid conditions.

So, it will thrive for a long duration no matter how much nutrients are available in the soil.

This plant stores its resources in the root bulb.

Hence, you can avoid fertilizing the plant frequently.

8. Transplant The ZZ Plant

If nothing works, this is the best thing you can do to revive your plant.

Of course, you can’t fix the brown stems entirely with this method, but the new stems will surely have a green color.

The new ZZ stems will look much better when they come up from the new growing medium.

So, that’s the main advantage of moving such a plant to entirely different soil and growing space.

Furthermore, the new environment will encourage the plant to produce new shoots in the coming weeks or months.

Once these shoots pop up from the soil, you can either keep them growing in the same pot or separate them from the mother plant.

And that’s really up to you.

If you feel the main plant is still going through the same situation, you should go ahead and try to propagate the new shoots in different pots.

Now, let’s check out the FAQs below.

FAQs

Over To You

I hope you found this guide helpful.

You may find it challenging to fix this issue on your plant, but the suggestions mentioned above should help during this process.

So, do try them out!

In case you have any queries about this topic, leave a comment below.

If you liked this guide, do share it with your friends and family.