Zanzibar gem

It is native to Kenya, South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal), Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

Though little information is available, Z. zamiifolia is apparently used medicinally in the Mulanje District of Malawi and in the East Usambara mountains of Tanzania where juice from the leaves is used to treat earache. In Tanzania, a poultice of bruised plant material from Z. zamiifolia is used as a treatment for the inflammatory condition known as "mshipa". Roots from Z. zamiifolia are used as a local application to treat ulceration by the Sukuma people in north-western Tanzania.

It is cultivated as a houseplant. Dutch nurseries began wide-scale commercial propagation of the plant around 1996.

Cultivars. Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'HANSOTI13,' commercially known as 'Zenzi' Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Dowon,' commercially known as 'Raven', is licensed by Costa Farms. Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Super Nova' Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Chameleon'

Temperature. It may survive outdoors as long as the temperature does not fall below around 15 °C (60 °F); though best growth is between 18 and 26 °C (64 and 79 °F) while high temperatures give an increase in leaf production. In temperate regions, it is grown as a houseplant. Overwatering may destroy this plant through tuber rot. Bright, indirect light is best. Some sun will be tolerated.

Propagation. Zamioculcas zamiifolia may be propagated by leaf cuttings: typically, the lower ends of detached leaves are inserted into a moist, gritty growing medium, and the pot is enclosed in a polythene bag. Though the leaves may well decay, succulent bulb-like structures should form in the bag, and these may be potted up to produce new plants. The process may take upwards of one year. The plant can also be propagated by division.

Light. Due to its strong green leaves, it is especially suitable for open, bright rooms. When grown indoors, the plant prefers bright indirect light but will tolerate low light conditions. …

The genus Zamioculcas derives its name from the similarity of its foliage to that of the cycad genus Zamia and its kinship to the Araceae genus Colocasia, whose name comes from the word culcas or colcas (from an ancient Middle Eastern name), Arabic qolqas (Egyptian Arabic: قلقاس, IPA: [ʔolˈʔæːs]), i.e. taro. The species name zamiifolia means "leaves like Zamia" and is formed from the botanical name Zamia and the Latin word folium, leaf.