How to Care for a Raven ZZ Plant

A Raven ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia ‘Raven’, sometimes sold as the black ZZ plant) needs almost exactly the same care as a regular green ZZ: bright indirect light if you can give it, water only when the soil is fully dry, a fast-draining mix and very little fertilizer. The differences are small but they matter. Raven grows more slowly, its new shoots come up bright lime green and take several weeks to darken, and it is a little less forgiving of deep shade if you want that glossy near-black color. Get the watering right and keep it out of dim corners, and it is one of the easiest dramatic houseplants you can own.

In this guide

1. Raven ZZ vs Green ZZ: What Is Different
2. Why New Raven Growth Is Green (and How to Keep It Dark)
3. Light Requirements
4. How to Water a Raven ZZ
5. Soil and Pot
6. Temperature and Humidity
7. Fertilizing
8. Repotting a Raven ZZ
9. Common Raven ZZ Problems
10. Is Raven ZZ Toxic?
11. Frequently Asked Questions

Raven ZZ vs Green ZZ: What Is Different

Raven is a cultivar of the same species as the standard ZZ plant, discovered as a mutation and introduced to the trade in the 2010s. Botanically and in its needs, it is still a ZZ: a drought-adapted aroid from eastern Africa that stores water in thick underground rhizomes and in its swollen stems. If you already know general ZZ plant care, you know 90 percent of Raven care.

Trait	Green ZZ	Raven ZZ
Mature leaf color	Glossy medium to deep green	Glossy purple-black
New growth	Light green, darkens slightly	Lime green, darkens over several weeks
Growth rate	Slow	Slower
Typical indoor height	2–3 ft	2–3 ft, often more compact
Low-light tolerance	Very high	High, but color and vigor suffer in deep shade
Watering	When fully dry	When fully dry
Toxicity	Toxic if eaten	Toxic if eaten

Because dark leaves have more pigment and the plant puts on fewer new stems each year, a Raven that is overwatered or kept too dark has less margin to recover. That is the practical reason to be a bit more careful with it than with a green ZZ. For more easy plants that suit apartments and offices, browse our houseplants and containers hub.

Why New Raven Growth Is Green (and How to Keep It Dark)

The most common Raven question is “Is my plant reverting?” when a fresh stem unfurls bright green. Almost always, the answer is no. Raven shoots emerge lime green, the leaflets open, and over the next several weeks they shift through olive and deep purple to near-black. The timing depends on light and temperature: in a bright, warm room the change is faster; in a dim corner it can take a couple of months, and the final color may be closer to very dark green than black.

To keep new growth dark:

• Give it bright, indirect light. A spot a few feet back from an east or west window, or near a north window, works well. More light means more pigment and more compact stems.
• Avoid harsh afternoon sun through glass. Direct midday or afternoon sun can scorch or bleach the leaflets, which shows as tan or yellowish patches.
• Be patient. Do not judge color until a stem is fully open and a month or two old.
• Keep it warm. Growth and color development slow when the room drops below about 60°F.

True reversion, where a mature stem stays solid green for months while the rest of the plant is black, is uncommon. If it happens, you can cut that stem out at the soil line so it does not take over.

Light Requirements

Raven ZZ is sold as a low-light plant and it will survive in an office or a hallway lit by overhead fixtures. Survive is the key word. In low light it may produce only one or two new stems a year, those stems stretch and lean toward the light, and color stays muted. In medium to bright indirect light it grows fuller and darker. If your only option is a dim room, a small LED grow light on a timer for 10 to 12 hours a day makes a visible difference. Our list of low-light houseplants has other options if your space is truly dark.

Rotate the pot a quarter turn every couple of weeks so stems grow upright instead of leaning toward the window.

How to Water a Raven ZZ

Overwatering kills more ZZ plants than everything else combined. The rhizomes hold weeks of water, and roots sitting in damp soil rot quickly. Water thoroughly, until it runs out of the drainage holes, then let the soil dry completely before watering again.

• Spring and summer: roughly every 2 to 3 weeks in a bright, warm room; less in low light.
• Fall and winter: every 4 to 6 weeks, sometimes less. Growth nearly stops, and the plant needs very little.
• How to check: push a finger or a wooden chopstick deep into the pot. If any moisture or soil sticks to it, wait. A pot that feels much lighter when lifted is a good sign it is ready.

Use room-temperature tap water. Empty the saucer or cachepot 15 minutes after watering so the pot never sits in water. Raven does not need misting; normal household humidity of 30 to 50 percent is fine.

Soil and Pot

Use a light, fast-draining mix. A good blend is roughly two parts regular indoor potting mix to one part perlite or pumice, or a commercial cactus and succulent mix with some extra perlite. Avoid moisture-control potting soils with water-retaining crystals.

The pot must have drainage holes. Terracotta helps wick moisture away and is a good choice if you tend to overwater; plastic or glazed ceramic is fine if you water carefully. Choose a pot only 1 to 2 inches wider than the root mass. A pot that is too large holds wet soil around the rhizomes for too long.

Temperature and Humidity

Raven is happiest between 65°F and 80°F. It tolerates brief dips into the 50s but should not sit near drafty doors, air-conditioning vents or cold windows in winter. Below about 45°F, leaflets can be damaged. Outdoors, it is only perennial in USDA zones 10 to 12; elsewhere you can move it to a shaded porch for summer once nights stay above 60°F, then bring it in before fall temperatures drop.

Fertilizing

ZZ plants are light feeders. Feed a Raven with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength once a month from spring through late summer, and not at all in fall and winter. Too much fertilizer builds salts in the soil and can brown leaflet tips. A plant in low light needs even less, every second month at most. For a breakdown of fertilizer types, see our guide on how to fertilize houseplants.

Repotting a Raven ZZ

Raven grows slowly, so repotting every two to three years is usually enough. Signs it is time: rhizomes pushing against the pot walls or distorting a plastic nursery pot, roots poking out of the drainage holes, or water running straight through without wetting the soil.

1. Repot in spring or early summer, when the plant is actively growing.
2. Water lightly a few days before, so the root ball slides out more easily.
3. Squeeze or cut the nursery pot away; do not yank on stems, which snap at the base.
4. Loosen old soil and check rhizomes. Healthy ones are firm and pale; trim any that are soft, brown or smell sour.
5. Set the plant at the same depth in a pot 1 to 2 inches wider, filling around it with fresh mix.
6. Wait about a week before watering to let any damaged roots callus.

Repotting is also the easiest time to divide the plant. Separate clumps with their own rhizomes and stems and pot them individually. You can also root single leaflets or stem cuttings; our guide on propagating a ZZ plant walks through each method. Expect Raven cuttings to take months to grow a rhizome and longer still to send up a new shoot.

Common Raven ZZ Problems

Yellowing leaves

Yellow leaflets on a Raven usually mean overwatering, especially if the stems are also soft at the base. Stop watering, check that the pot drains, and let it dry completely. If the rhizomes are mushy, unpot and cut away rot. An occasional yellow leaf on an old stem is normal aging. Our troubleshooting guide on why a ZZ plant turns yellow covers the less common causes.

Stems drooping or falling over

Leggy, leaning stems mean too little light. Move the plant closer to a window. Stems that collapse and feel soft at soil level point to rot. A whole stem that is still firm but flops may simply be top-heavy; a discreet plant stake or a loose tie helps.

Brown, crispy patches

Sunburn from direct afternoon light through a window, or very prolonged drought. Move it back from the glass. Damaged leaflets will not recover, but new growth will be fine.

Wrinkled stems

Shriveled stems mean the rhizomes have used up their stored water. Water deeply, then go back to a normal schedule. They should plump up in a week or two.

Pests

Raven ZZ is rarely bothered, but mealybugs and spider mites occasionally show up on stressed plants. Wipe the glossy leaflets every month or so with a damp cloth, which also keeps the black color looking sharp, and treat any infestation with insecticidal soap.

Is Raven ZZ Toxic?

Yes. Like the green form and many aroids, ZZ plants contain calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth, throat and stomach if chewed. It is not considered deadly, but it can cause drooling, vomiting and discomfort in cats and dogs. Place it where pets cannot reach and wash your hands after handling cut stems or rhizomes.