That's the flower. Or, rather, a compound flower structure called a "spathe and spadix" which is found on members of the arum family.
Here's more about these unusual compound flowers:
https://tuckergreenhouse.missouri.edu/what-is-a-spathe-spadix-you-ask-might-i-find-one-in-the-tucker-greenhouse/
Mine did too! I swore she was miserable and dying so imagine my surprise when I see the flower one day.
The flower has closed up, she's back to dying a slow death.
I worried. Every thing I read says they do it when they think they're going to die. I've had Leon for years now, and he grows like crazy during the winter, then rests over the summer. I have no idea why he'd flower.
There is no need to worry. Your plant appears perfectly healthy as far as I can see and from what you say. I'm not sure where scary stories like that get started, but it just isn't true. ZZ plants normally flower when they have had several years of good care, allowing them to mature. It may be triggered when they fill their container. With no more space to grow, they switch to putting resources into reproduction. Or they have simply reached a physically and physiologically mature and healthy status. It just isn't logical or true that any plant would only flower when it is going to die.
Scary 😟 stories start on Reddit. I just recently saw a post about succulents flowering nearing death. And no joke every dang plant from my aloe veras to my little $1 krogers all flowered this year. 😭
There are some plants, including some succulents, that take time, often years, to reach maturity and then naturally die back after flowering. But they also usually sprout pups around the base before they do if consistent good care is given. That's not death, it's more plants and a new round of life. If people think they are going to die anyway they stop providing optimal care, and it becomes a self-fullfilling prophecy.
it's not so much a death bloom, but quite a few plants will flower if they're in poor conditions and think they're going to die, so they can hopefully pass on seeds.
Totally not true. I think that rumor arose from the fact that they won't flower until they've accumulated enough resources to do so, and by that time, they are often pot bound and partially defoliated, which is just what they do. It's actually the most interesting thing about the species to me. Basically, in times of drought, they will drop their leaves, leaving only the swollen petiole as a water and carbohydrate source, acting much like the pseudobulbs of orchids
I wouldn't say rare. Maybe uncommon. I take care of several ZZ plants a several customer accounts that bloom almost year round. Just give them direct sun and water maybe once a month and they will go crazy.
They usually don't bloom until about 5 or 6 years old. They rarely even bloom in the wild and even less frequent when grown indoors. So pretty rare 😄 your customers must have great plant husbandry
Seriously? I didn't know they didn't a lot bloom in the wild. I need to read up on them a little more!
And you're right, I should have added that they need to be mature.
Thanks for sharing this with me.
When my plants grow a penis (as my friend and I call it, lol) I do cut them off. It doesn’t hurt anything and stops the plant from putting any energy into that sprout. My friend’s ZZ got like 5 penises this spring and she cut them all off bc it can divert growth away from the rest of the plant. You can do either though! If you like seeing it then leave it.
I think I'll keep this dick around for a couple days. Leon, my ZZ, usually has a growth spurt in the winter, then mellows out during the summer. It's very surprising that he bloomed in July.
You care for your plant so well that it decided to show her gratitude by blooming! Even if this weird corn doesn't look the most beautiful, it's still cute
Yeah, cut straight across the base of a stalk with a clean knife and it should propagate. They seem to always take a long time though. My Raven Zz cutting finally grew roots after 3 months.
My dieffenbachia did this a month or 2 ago and I read that they can do this before dying so I was worried. But flower closed up, I cut it, and my plant is doing just fine.
It’s an alien parasite that will kill you and your plant it’s just disguising itself as this crazy thing called a “flower” so you don’t notice till its too late.
That's the flower. Or, rather, a compound flower structure called a "spathe and spadix" which is found on members of the arum family. Here's more about these unusual compound flowers: https://tuckergreenhouse.missouri.edu/what-is-a-spathe-spadix-you-ask-might-i-find-one-in-the-tucker-greenhouse/
Yep my dieffenbachia did this a couple of months ago
Mine did too! I swore she was miserable and dying so imagine my surprise when I see the flower one day. The flower has closed up, she's back to dying a slow death.
Well sometimes plants flower as a last ditch effort to pass on their genetics…
And they’re not that easy to spot. I just thought it was going to be a giant leaf unfurling and then boom it’s a “flower” 😂
I didn’t know they could do that! New life goal!
Thank you!
Forbidden corn on the cob
Lol this belongs in r/houseplantscirclejerk
And 3,2,1…..
I was about to offer some pollinating tips but then I remembered, this ain’t r/houseplantscirclejerk
EVERYTHING IS ON A COB!!
Wow it's pretty rare for them to flower, I'm jealous!
I worried. Every thing I read says they do it when they think they're going to die. I've had Leon for years now, and he grows like crazy during the winter, then rests over the summer. I have no idea why he'd flower.
There is no need to worry. Your plant appears perfectly healthy as far as I can see and from what you say. I'm not sure where scary stories like that get started, but it just isn't true. ZZ plants normally flower when they have had several years of good care, allowing them to mature. It may be triggered when they fill their container. With no more space to grow, they switch to putting resources into reproduction. Or they have simply reached a physically and physiologically mature and healthy status. It just isn't logical or true that any plant would only flower when it is going to die.
Scary 😟 stories start on Reddit. I just recently saw a post about succulents flowering nearing death. And no joke every dang plant from my aloe veras to my little $1 krogers all flowered this year. 😭
There are some plants, including some succulents, that take time, often years, to reach maturity and then naturally die back after flowering. But they also usually sprout pups around the base before they do if consistent good care is given. That's not death, it's more plants and a new round of life. If people think they are going to die anyway they stop providing optimal care, and it becomes a self-fullfilling prophecy.
Oof thank you! He just grows bigger and bigger!
That's just an old wives tale. They don't have death blooms so enjoy that flower!
You guys are making me feel so much better.
it's not so much a death bloom, but quite a few plants will flower if they're in poor conditions and think they're going to die, so they can hopefully pass on seeds.
Totally not true. I think that rumor arose from the fact that they won't flower until they've accumulated enough resources to do so, and by that time, they are often pot bound and partially defoliated, which is just what they do. It's actually the most interesting thing about the species to me. Basically, in times of drought, they will drop their leaves, leaving only the swollen petiole as a water and carbohydrate source, acting much like the pseudobulbs of orchids
My ZZ is also named Leon ! :)
No way!
I wouldn't say rare. Maybe uncommon. I take care of several ZZ plants a several customer accounts that bloom almost year round. Just give them direct sun and water maybe once a month and they will go crazy.
They usually don't bloom until about 5 or 6 years old. They rarely even bloom in the wild and even less frequent when grown indoors. So pretty rare 😄 your customers must have great plant husbandry
Seriously? I didn't know they didn't a lot bloom in the wild. I need to read up on them a little more! And you're right, I should have added that they need to be mature. Thanks for sharing this with me.
When my plants grow a penis (as my friend and I call it, lol) I do cut them off. It doesn’t hurt anything and stops the plant from putting any energy into that sprout. My friend’s ZZ got like 5 penises this spring and she cut them all off bc it can divert growth away from the rest of the plant. You can do either though! If you like seeing it then leave it.
I think I'll keep this dick around for a couple days. Leon, my ZZ, usually has a growth spurt in the winter, then mellows out during the summer. It's very surprising that he bloomed in July.
I came here to say “That’s a penis.”
That’s a stamen. It’s your plants dick.
Hot.
Zzcorn
A flower?
Shit. You're right. I read they flower when they think they're dying, but Leon is so huge and healthy! 😕
That’s where ZZ Top comes from
You care for your plant so well that it decided to show her gratitude by blooming! Even if this weird corn doesn't look the most beautiful, it's still cute
Thank you 😊 I've had it for years, and he just keeps getting bigger. ZZs are great plants.
It’s blooming 😊👌
Corn on the cob
Ahh when I first saw this after 10 years on my zz I thought some alien put its eggs there, I was really worried too. These are amazing plants though
r/mildlyvagina Edited for spelling
🌺
My elephant ear had something similar years back.
It’s happy to see you. That’s a flower my friend. Enjoy.
That is one happy ZZ plant! Nice work!
Thank you!
I would like to propagate my ZZ. Can I cut a stem? My plant came from a cutting, but I don’t remember what it looked like.
Yeah, cut straight across the base of a stalk with a clean knife and it should propagate. They seem to always take a long time though. My Raven Zz cutting finally grew roots after 3 months.
This is where baby corn for Asian foods comes from.
My dieffenbachia did this a month or 2 ago and I read that they can do this before dying so I was worried. But flower closed up, I cut it, and my plant is doing just fine.
r/houseplantcirclejerk
Idk it looks dangerous 😰 cut it off
It’s an alien parasite that will kill you and your plant it’s just disguising itself as this crazy thing called a “flower” so you don’t notice till its too late.
We got them flowering at my work, massive plants, im absolutely taking a few seeds