How to Prune a ZZ Plant: Correct Methods and Step-by-Step Guide
The ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant. There is not much fuss about pruning it; it just depends on personal preference. If you like to keep the large branches, cut off the small ones; if not, cut off the large ones. Do not water immediately after pruning; it is best to prune a few days after watering. Keep the thick and numerous branches. Now let us take a look at how to prune a ZZ plant.
Pinching
Pinching the ZZ plant suppresses the tree's height growth and encourages the side branches to spread out flat; the tender tips of the branches can be pinched off.
Bud Removal
Many adventitious buds grow from the base and along the trunk of the ZZ plant and should be removed in time so as not to waste nutrients. However, for the strong buds in the few spots where branches are lacking, care should be taken to keep them so they can be grown into useful branches.
Leaf Removal
The best viewing period for the ZZ plant is mostly during the emergence of new leaves, when the leaves are small, or brilliantly colorful, or so green they seem to drip, and very pleasing to look at. By removing old leaves, the tree can be made to send out new leaves again, which adds one more good viewing period.
Branch Pruning
1. Shaping: The ZZ plant often grows many new branches, and to keep it looking attractive, branch pruning should be carried out. How to prune depends on your preference for the shape of the bonsai tree. Usually it can be pruned into a natural form, with the branch pads trimmed into cloud-like shapes, like a miniature of a tree in nature. It can also be pruned into branch pads that are slightly taller in the middle, of varying sizes, with an outer outline like a melon-seed shape, which looks quite elegant visually. Avoid pruning it into a round shape, one clump after another like several balloons hanging on a bamboo pole, which looks very stiff and even tacky.
2. Branch Cutting: When pruning a ZZ plant, all clustered branches, crossing branches, inward-growing branches, overlapping branches, parallel branches and leggy branches must be cut off, and branches known as "crown-center" branches should also be considered for removal. It should be explained that under some special circumstances, one or two branches can also be selectively kept as needed to perfect the shape. Especially within one or two years after the shape has just been completed, it is often found that the original shape has some imperfections; if suitable new branches grow to make up for them, that is truly a most welcome delight.