Did you know? ZZ plant produces beautiful flower buds!
ZZ plant is a species of flowering plant native to Africa. It produces white buds with a light green envelope in the summer months. Sometimes, you may also see them in the Autumn months.
So, how do you get the plant to come up with these buds? Let's find out!
Source - Reddit
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What Is ZZ Plant Flower Bud?
ZZ Plant flower buds are the very first stage of flower development. They are undeveloped flowers that are still in a dormant state.
However, these buds can develop into full-blown flowers given the right conditions. The main reason why ZZ plants produce flower buds is to reproduce.
Source - Reddit
As you know, flowers are the plant's way of producing seeds so that new plants can grow. So, if your ZZ plant produces flower buds, it is trying to reproduce. And you don't have to worry about the plant; this is normal behavior.
ZZ plants typically bloom in the late spring or early summer, but some varieties can bloom at any time of the year. In the next section, let's learn more about these flower buds.
What To Do With ZZ Plant Flower Bud?
Now that you know what ZZ plant flower buds are, you might wonder what to do with them. The answer to this question depends on what you want to achieve. Ideally, you should let the flower buds develop into full-blown flowers.
This is because flowers are not only beautiful to look at, but they also help the plant reproduce. However, if you don't want your ZZ plant to bloom, you can remove the buds.
To do this, use your fingers to snap off the buds. But you should do this before the buds start to open. If you wait too long, the flowers will begin to bloom, and it will be too late to remove them. Moreover, once the flowers bloom, they will produce seeds.
The buds of the ZZ plant are located at the tips of the stems. So, if you want to remove them, you will have to do so manually. In the next section, let's learn how to encourage your ZZ plant to produce more flower buds.
5 Tips To Get More Flower Buds In Your ZZ Plant
Here's how you can encourage flower buds in this plant -
1. Provide Enough Light
Sunlight is crucial in this plant’s life. It helps it grow and bloom, as well as give off oxygen – all while making the room look more alive.
So, provide at least 4 hours of indirect sunlight to your ZZ plant. This should be enough for the plant to produce sufficient food and grow steadily.
If you live in an area with harsh sunlight, move the plant to shade. You don't want the plant to get into shock and lose all its leaves!
2. Keep The Plant Warm
ZZ plants like warm temperatures. It can tolerate temperatures between 60-75 degrees Fahrenheit.
So, if you want the plant to produce flower buds, maintain the temperature around your plant. You can also use a room heater to increase the temperature if needed. Similarly, in summer, use a fan to lower the temperature.
3. Feed The Plant With Nutrients
ZZ plants need nutrients to grow and thrive. It can survive without them as well, but blooming is a resource-intensive process.
Without food, plants can't produce buds and flowers. So, the first step to help your plant develop buds is to feed it.
You can use a well-balanced fertilizer for your ZZ plant. If not, try using homemade compost. It should do the job as well.
As for the application, you can feed the fertilizer once a month. Reduce the frequency during winter and dormant phases.
4. Prune The Plant
Pruning is an important activity that you need to do to encourage the plant to produce flower buds. You should remove the dead leaves and stems from the plant. You can also pinch the tips of the stems to encourage branching.
However, it's not a primary method to encourage flowering. Pruning is a shaping method that helps the plant look good and produce more leaves and branches. But it can also indirectly encourage the plant to produce flower buds.
The other thing about this method is it will take a lot of time for the plant to regrow and produce flower buds. So, you should only perform this task if the ZZ plant is mature and not flowering. Both these conditions are essential for you to go ahead with pruning.
5. Give The Plant A Rest
I know it might sound a little odd, but sometimes it's better to ignore the plant completely. This way, the plant gets under stress due to lack of resources. Once it experiences this situation, it will produce flower buds for the survival.
To do this, you can stop watering the plant. Let it go through a dry spell. However, if the leaves are drooping, water it accordingly.
Note: The above task should be performed when the plant is growing well. Do not follow this process if it's already experiencing root rot or any such issues.
Of course, you need patience because it takes time for desired results. If you provide the right conditions, eventually, the plant will produce beautiful flower buds. That's the best you can do for your plant.
How To Care For Your ZZ Plant Flower Buds
Once the plant has buds, you should care for them so that they bloom into flowers. Here are some suggestion to help you out in this situation -
1. Water The Plant Properly
ZZ plant is a drought tolerant plant, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't water the plant. It still needs water to flourish.
For better results, you can water the plant every week. If the plant is relatively big, you can reduce the frequency to every 10-15 days.
Moreover, you should also assess the condition of the plant. Look for any signs of droopy or yellow leaves. Once you examine the plant, you can safely water it as needed.
2. Check The Pot Size
The pot size can be an issue when it comes to seeing flower buds on ZZ plant. If the pot is too small, it will restrict the plant's growth, eventually affecting the flowers.
So, choose a pot at least twice the size of the plant. This will give the plant enough space to grow and produce flowers.
3. Do Not Touch The Flower Buds
When you see buds on the plant, you shouldn't touch them. There is no need to feel the buds with your fingers and hands. Since they are in their early growth phase, they won't be strong and may fall off easily.
Apart from that, you should also keep them away from kids and pets. Move the plant from the current place to any other safe place. Once it blooms, you can bring it back to its original location.
4. Do Not Spray The Plant
Even though misting and spraying help in keeping the plant moist, you should avoid doing it when the flower buds are present. The water droplets can damage the flowers and prevent them from blooming.
So, just water the plant and mist the leaves when the flowers are not present. Similarly, you should not spray neem oil or any other fungicide/insecticide at this stage.
Doing so damage the flowers. Therefore, it's best to wait until the flowers bloom and spray the plant if needed.
Overall, these are the things that you need to do to care for your ZZ plant flower buds.
FAQs
You can cut the flower. If you keep it on the plant, it will mature and produce seeds. If you want plant's growth, you can remove it using scissors.
The ZZ plant produces flowers when it reaches maturity.
You can expect the plant to produce flowers once in a year.
When the plant doesn't get enough light, nutrients and water, it will stop growing. These three elements are key for the growth of your ZZ plant. Besides, it may also enter dormant phase during extreme cold weather conditions.
Yes, ZZ plants have bulbs. They are located near the base of the plant.
Over To You
ZZ plant flower bud is a premitive stage for the plant. So, you must take care of it properly.
Do you have any questions related to ZZ plant flowering?
Feel free to post them in the comments section below! Please share this guide with your friends and family if you find it helpful!
sandie says
I have 2 of these plants and they have flowering corns in about 4 places. Can I cut these off and plant them in another pot?
Harshad Sawant says
Hey Sandie,
You can separate the bulbs along with the stems to replant them in new pots, but don't expect new growth from flower buds.