Head to head
ZZ Plant or Snake Plant — which should I buy in the UAE?
These two are the UAE's default answer to "which plant will not die", and they are genuinely close. Both store water, both tolerate dry AC air, and both forgive a fortnight of neglect. The difference is light tolerance at the extreme low end, and form.
Neither is safe for a cat or dog that chews foliage — if that is your situation, neither of these is the plant and you want a Spider Plant or String of Hearts instead.
| Plant | Light | Water (in AC) | AC tolerance | Dry-air tolerance | Pet safe | Difficulty | Mature height | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZZ PlantZamioculcas zamiifolia | Low light | Every 14-21 days | High | High | No | Very easy | 60-90 cm | AED 95 |
| Snake Plant 'Laurentii'Dracaena trifasciata 'Laurentii' | Low to medium | Every 14-21 days | High | High | No | Very easy | 60-90 cm | AED 89 |
Choose the ZZ Plant if the room is genuinely dark
The ZZ is the only common houseplant that grows on fluorescent light alone, which makes it the right answer for an interior office, a windowless hallway or a bathroom with no natural light. It is slower-growing, so buy the size you want rather than expecting it to fill out. Its glossy leaves also hold up better under artificial light, where matte-leaved plants look tired.
Safety: Calcium oxalate crystals — mouth irritation if chewed.
ZZ Plant — AED 95
Choose the Snake Plant for almost everything else
In any room with usable ambient light, the Snake Plant is the better buy: cheaper, faster-growing, and vertically architectural so it fits the narrow gaps a UAE apartment actually has — beside a sofa, behind a door, on a narrow balcony in shade. It also tolerates a few hours of direct winter sun, which the ZZ does not enjoy.
Safety: Saponins — vomiting and drooling if cats or dogs chew the leaves.
Snake Plant 'Laurentii' — AED 89Common questions
Is a ZZ Plant or a Snake Plant harder to kill?
They are close to equal, and both are killed the same way: overwatering. In a UAE apartment both want water every 14-21 days at most. The ZZ has a slight edge in very low light, the Snake Plant a slight edge in tolerating bright light and heat.
Which grows faster, a ZZ Plant or a Snake Plant?
The Snake Plant, noticeably. A ZZ Plant may push only one or two new shoots a year indoors. If you want a plant that visibly fills its pot within a season, the Snake Plant is the better choice.
Are ZZ Plants and Snake Plants safe for cats?
Neither is. The ZZ contains calcium oxalate crystals and the Snake Plant contains saponins; both cause drooling, vomiting and mouth irritation if chewed. Choose a Spider Plant, String of Hearts or Areca Palm for a home with a cat that chews plants.