How to Propagate Zamioculcas zamiifolia? A Complete Guide to Propagation Methods

Zamioculcas zamiifolia is also called round-leaf purslane, named for its thick, fleshy leaves that are neatly arranged and closely resemble copper coins, making it an excellent indoor foliage plant. So, how do you propagate Zamioculcas zamiifolia?

1. Seed propagation

Generally speaking, seed propagation is rarely used in the propagation of round-leaf purslane, mainly because round-leaf purslane is a unisexual-flower plant; under normal conditions, it rarely sets fruit after flowering, so artificial pollination is required during cultivation to obtain seeds. In addition, seed propagation has a very low germination rate, which greatly limits large-scale production.

2. Tissue culture

That is, a propagation method in which tissue-cultured plantlets are obtained through callus induction, adventitious bud methods, and so on. In the so-called callus pathway, after the explants of round-leaf purslane are cultured in vitro, they first differentiate into callus tissue, then grow clustered buds, and after rooting form a complete plant. In practice, it can be seen that leaf explants give better callus results than stems, and their effective induction rate can reach more than 88%. Studies show that mature leaves of round-leaf purslane near the main vein of the leaf readily form callus tissue.

3. Division propagation

In April, when the outdoor temperature reaches above 18°C, take the large round-leaf purslane plant out of its pot, shake off most of the old soil, pull it apart at the weak points where the tubers join, apply sulfur powder or plant ash to the wounds, and pot them separately. Be careful not to bury them too deep when planting; burying the top of the tuber 1.5-2 cm below the soil surface is sufficient. In addition, because the tubers of round-leaf purslane have dormant buds, a single large tuber can be cut into small pieces each bearing 2-3 dormant buds; after the wounds have dried and healed, first bury and plant them in slightly moist fine sand, and once the cut small tubers have grown into independent plants, pot them up.

4. Cutting propagation

The cuttings can be a single small leaf, a section of leaf rachis with 2 leaves attached, or a section of leaf rachis alone. In terms of rooting results, cuttings made from a leaf rachis with leaves attached root faster and sprout more, and more easily form larger tubers. Insert a single leaf into a mixed substrate of river sand and vermiculite; after 10-14 days, a small rooted bulbous stem forms at the base of the leaf, and after 2-3 months of cultivation it can grow into a small plant.

Because seed propagation and tissue culture do not have a high survival rate, the propagation of Zamioculcas zamiifolia mostly uses division and cutting propagation.