Is your ZZ plant's bulb wrinkled?
Well, it could be a sign of a major issue in your plant.
As you know, the ZZ plant is one of the most delicate plants to have in your indoor garden.
Even though it doesn't require much care, it can surely puzzle you with such unexpected issues.
In the following guide, I have shared some reasons and tips to solve this problem.
So, do check them out below.
Why Is My ZZ Plant Bulb Wrinkled?
There are some specific reasons why you might see wrinkles on the ZZ plant bulb.
Thankfully, these reasons are pretty standard with this plant, and you should be able to fix the issue once you rule out some of the possibilities.
Alright, so, let's check out the possible causes -
1. You Have Been Overwatering Your Plant
The ZZ plant requires a minimal amount of water.
Since it's a desert plant, it is made to survive with low water resources.
So, if you water this plant like any other plant in your garden, you will definitely see some issues with it.
The common resultant factor is the root rot problem.
When you overwater this plant, it can easily succumb to root rot.
The first signs of this issue are the yellow leaves, mushy stems, and wrinkled or soft bulbs.
If you come across any of these signs or a combination of signs in this plant, you can confirm the root rot problem.
Once you're sure about this issue, you can act accordingly and revive the plant.
2. You Haven't Watered Your ZZ Plant
Similar to overwatering, underwatering can also lead to a wrinkled bulb in your ZZ plant.
Although it's meant to survive in harsh weather conditions, the plant still needs some water to continue its lifecycle.
If you don't provide water to this plant, it will show wrinkles on the leaves, stems, and rhizomes.
All these are peculiar signs of underwatering in indoor plants.
The other possible indication of this issue is the dry soil.
If the soil in the pot is absolutely dry, you can pretty much confirm this issue.
However, in most cases, underwatering will not be the cause of wrinkled bulbs in your ZZ plant.
Still, you shouldn't rule out this possibility entirely.
3. You Have Kept Your ZZ Plant In Direct Sunlight
The last possibility here is direct sunlight.
The ZZ plant grows well in indirect sunlight or places that don't get enough light during the day.
These are the ideal conditions to grow your ZZ plant.
But if you have placed your plant in a nice and bright room, it can cause issues for your plant.
When it gets exposed to direct sunlight or harsh sunlight, the plant will probably begin to wilt.
As a result, it might seem like an underwatering situation in the plant, and the bulb or rhizome will start to form wrinkles on it.
Apart from these three reasons, there is one more possibility for this issue.
That is - the age of your plant.
Is your plant very old?
If it's a mature plant, you can expect the root bulb to form wrinkles on it.
It's a natural process and part of the lifecycle of pretty much each plant in the world.
So, you don't have to think too much about it.
You can just remove the new shoots and grow them in different pots.
This way, you will be able to continue having a ZZ plant in your garden.
Well, it's not as significant as the other discussed causes, but still, you should consider it if your plant is getting old.
Now, let's check out the tips that might be useful in addressing this issue in your ZZ plant.
8 Tips To Fix The Wrinkled ZZ Plant Bulb Issue
Even though it might seem like a small issue, you will need to carefully examine the problem and address it accordingly.
In this section, I have talked about some of the solutions to fix this problem.
So, let's see how you can go about it.
1. Stop Watering Your Plant If It's Overwatered
This is the only thing that can help save your plant.
If you have been watering your plant consistently, it's time to change the frequency.
Moreover, you should just stop watering the plant completely.
Follow this process for a couple of weeks and see how the plant reacts to it.
If it doesn't do well, you should transplant it immediately.
2. Water Your ZZ Plant If It's Underwatered
As I said earlier, the underwatering situation can also be the cause of this issue in your plant.
So, make sure you water it thoroughly.
But don't fill the pot with water.
As you already know, the plant is averse to overwatering.
If you haven't watered it in a while, you should water it till the soil gets moist.
And that should be enough for the plant.
3. Do Not Keep It In Direct Sunlight
Whether your plant is facing any issue or not, you should never place it in direct sunlight.
If you do, it's likely to have difficulties growing at a standard rate.
Try to move your ZZ plant away from sunlight.
If you want, you can also keep it under artificial light like an LED tube light.
The plant will do just alright in this type of condition.
Note: This is also important for the plant that is experiencing an overwatering situation.
You shouldn't keep it in sunlight just to evaporate the moisture from the pot.
It's not going to help this plant in any way.
4. Do Not Fertilize The Plant
When your plant is under stress, avoid fertilization.
In fact, the ZZ plant doesn't need too many fertilizers.
It can do well in any normal garden soil.
If you still want to fertilize it, you can do it once or twice a year.
But do not fertilize it if the bulb of your ZZ plant is wrinkled and decaying.
The fertilizers will cause root burn and make the whole situation even worse.
5. Remove Any Damaged Leaves From The Plant
Now, this might not help your plant revive from this issue directly, but it will encourage it to produce new leaves in the coming weeks.
Hence, it makes sense to trim some of the damaged and unwanted leaves from the plant.
This should also be done when you have tried most of the solutions with no luck.
It might work in your favor but don't go harsh on the plant.
Prune it sparingly.
6. Check For Fungal Growth And Address It Immediately
With overwatering, the plant will become susceptible to fungus issues.
The fungus grows on wet surfaces, and moist soil is the ideal place for its growth.
How do you confirm the fungus growth, though?
It's quite easy.
You will probably see white or black spots or patches on the stem of the plant.
If the soil is wet, you might also see something similar on the surface.
Do look out for such signs and see if you can find something.
7. Observe Your Plant For A Week
Once you are done following all the above guidelines, you should simply observe the plant for a week.
Check for any possible signs of revival.
There is no need to remove the plant from the pot, though.
If the plant is doing well, you will see fresh leaves and stems.
On the other hand, if the situation is still not looking great, you should check the root system again and repot the plant.
8. Follow Regular Care Guidelines For Your ZZ Plant
There is a good possibility that the plant will get back to its life with the above suggestions.
But don't be complacent if you see your plant is doing well.
Try to follow the common guidelines available for this plant.
More importantly, do not water this plant unnecessarily.
On the whole, these are the things you must do if your plant is suffering from this issue.
Below, I have shared some FAQs related to this topic.
Do take a look at them if you have any similar questions in your mind.
FAQs
The overwatered ZZ plant will have a mushy stem and droopy leaves. Its pot will also feel heavy due to excess watering.
No, it shouldn't be exposed to outside conditions. I have written a detailed guide on this topic, and you can read it here.
Yes, as mentioned in the guide, the ZZ plant can succumb to direct sunlight. It would be best if you avoided such places to grow your plant.
Well, it isn't easy to recover a ZZ plant from overwatering.
If you follow certain guidelines and take care of your plant, there is always a chance to revive the plant from this situation.
The best way to rejuvenate a ZZ plant is by neglecting it for a while.
If it's underwatered, water it well and neglect it for some time.
This plant doesn't need a lot of attention and care.
So, it's better to let it grow on its own.
You don't have to do anything special to rejuvenate this plant.
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