After growing this form for 6 or 7 years, I have decided I don’t like it much. It is not a strong grower compared to most of the green ...Read Moreforms (I also grow 6 other forms); it seems to need very bright light to exhibit good black color, and seems to fail more quickly if put in a low-light setting.
Another black cv. has appeared called ‘Super Nova’ but I have not had it long enough to evaluate it.
Per the United States Patent Application 20180084697:
"A new variety of Zamioculcas plant named ‘Dowon’ that is charac...Read Moreterized by an erect vase-shaped habit, and stiffly-held compound, glossy leaves which emerge mid-green maturing to black,
BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT
The present variety relates to a new and distinct variety of Zamioculcas commonly known as Aroid Palm or ZZ Plant. The new variety is known botanically as Zamioculcas zamiifolia and will be referred to hereinafter by the name ‘Dowon’.
Zamioculcas is a succulent plant with dark green glossy compound leaves which stores water in its thick petioles. Zamioculcas is native to tropical and sub-tropical east and southeast Africa and only one species, zamiifolia, is known. Zamioculcas is grown and used as a tropical or indoor foliage plant.
Zamioculcas plants grow from an underground tuber which also comprises the stem. All of the growth above ground consists of erect or semi-erect large pinnately compound leaves borne on stiff petioles. Each leaflet within the compound leaf is attached to a central rachis. The attachment is typically sessile or minutely petiolulate.
The new Zamioculcas variety named ‘Dowon’ was discovered in 2006 by the inventor at the inventor's nursery in Segok-dong, Seoul, South Korea. The inventor observed that a single plant of typically green-foliaged Zamioculcas had produced on one of its compound leaves a set of leaflets with uncharacteristically very dark green coloration, tending to darken further as the leaflets expanded. When fully expanded, the leaflets, rachis and petiole became entirely black or near-black. Zamioculcas may be propagated from individual leaflet cuttings. The inventor continued to observe the original plant for many months before carrying out the first asexual propagation in 2006 using black leaflets. The inventor was interested to know if the black leaflets would root and would produce new plants with the same characteristic of leaf blackening. The inventor observed that new foliage growth from the rooted black leaflets first emerged typically green in color but became black or nearly black as the compound leaf expanded and matured.
The inventor has repeated this process of reproduction from black leaves and has determined that the development of black plants as herein described is consistent. The inventor has determined that ‘Dowon’ reproduces true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction via leaflet cuttings.
SUMMARY
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the distinguishing characteristics of the new Zamioculcas variety named ‘Dowon’. In combination these traits set ‘Dowon’ apart from its species and from all other varieties of Zamioculcas known to the inventor. ‘Dowon’ has not been tested under all possible conditions and phenotypic differences may be observed with variations in environmental, climatic and cultural conditions, however, without any variance in genotype:
1. Plants of ‘Dowon’ are erect and vase-shaped, consisting of stiffly held compound leaves.
2. The leaflets of the compound leaves of ‘Dowon’ are borne predominantly in opposite pairs. Some leaf pairs are sub-opposite or closely alternate.
3. The leaflets of ‘Dowon’ are very closely attached, either sessile or minutely petiolulate, to a central rachis.
4. The first emerging foliage growth of ‘Dowon’ is bright glossy mid-green in color.
5. As each new compound leaf ages over a period of 1 to 2 months, the color of the leaf darkens through dark olive green, then developing streaks or patches of very dark green tending to black, to eventually entirely black.
6. Mature compound leaves, including petioles, rachis and leaflets of ‘Dowon’ are entirely black.
After growing this form for 6 or 7 years, I have decided I don’t like it much. It is not a strong grower compared to most of the green ...Read More
Per the United States Patent Application 20180084697:
"A new variety of Zamioculcas plant named ‘Dowon’ that is charac...Read More