Zz Plant is grown for its foliage and the structure it brings to a planting. It's hardy across USDA zones 9 through 10, shrugs off deer, shrugs off dry spells, and grows just as well in a container as in the ground.
Zz Plant — the short answer
Zz Plant: grown in zones 9–10, shade, pH 6–7.
- USDA zones
- 9–10
- Manual horticultural correction (source not retained); NC State Extension and Missouri Botanical Garden, with the remaining rows from other published sources or Growable Ground compilation
- Soil pH
- 6–7
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Sun
- Shade
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Frost-kill temperature
- 45°F
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Zz Plant on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether zz plant actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score zz plant against your land's real conditions.
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What Zz Plant is
Zz Plant grows as a perennial and reaches around three feet at maturity. It's also deer-resistant and well suited to containers.
How to grow Zz Plant
Zz Plant grows in USDA zones 9 through 10. Zz Plant does best in shade — at least 2 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6 to 7, on well-drained ground.
USDA Zones
9-10
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
6 - 7
Growable Ground Plant Database
Sun
Shade
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Frost Kill Temperature
45°F
Where cold starts killing growing tissue. Not a winter-survival floor — a dormant perennial takes far colder, which its hardiness zone answers.
Growable Ground Plant Database
Mature Height
3 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Start the season right
Plant zz plant in shade with at least 2 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Zz Plant prefers pH 6 to 7 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Keep it in good form
Prune zz plant to shape as it grows; the reward is its foliage and structure, not a harvest, so steady upkeep is the whole job.
Where Zz Plant thrives
Zz Plant is hardy across USDA zones 9 through 10. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 9–10 spans average winter lows from 20°F to 40°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers none outright but splits 17 down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 9–10·Where Zz Plant growsOpen map →
Where Zz Plant stands, state by state
Zz Plant is rated for zones 9–10 — a cold floor USDA puts at 20 to 30°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 0 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 17 more, and 34 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
The line runs through
17 states
- Alaska · zones 1a-9a
- California · zones 4b-11a
- Nevada · zones 4a-10a
3 of 17 shown
Zz Plant’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Zz Plant
Growing guides for zz plant
In rotation planning, zz plant counts as a Other — beds recover best when other crops don’t follow each other in the same spot year over year. (Growable Ground derivation — crop-rotation group from botanical family)
Related plants in houseplant/patio
Good to know
One caution for pet owners — zz plant is toxic to dogs and cats (moderate severity). Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)
Zz Plant isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data — pair it with high-value bloomers nearby to feed bees.
Your land is one point inside Zz Plant's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Zz Plant will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether zz plant actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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How we know this about Zz Plant
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•USDA PHZM•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Zz Plant in my zone?
Zz Plant grows in USDA hardiness zones 9 through 10 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Zz Plant?
Most growers plant zz plant after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Zz Plant need?
Zz Plant is shade-tolerant — it gets by on as little as 2 hours of direct sun, so it earns a place most vegetables can't use. A north-facing strip or the ground under a leafy canopy is right where it belongs. A Growable Ground report shows which corners of your land stay shaded through the day, turning those dim spots into planting spots.
What soil does Zz Plant need?
Zz Plant prefers soil pH 6 to 7, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Zz Plant attract pollinators?
Zz Plant isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data. Pairing it with high-value bloomers nearby keeps bees and butterflies fed.
Is Zz Plant safe for pets?
Zz Plant is toxic to pets (dogs,cats) with moderate severity. Keep it out of reach, and call ASPCA Animal Poison Control at (888) 426-4435 in an emergency. (Source: ASPCA.)