As a garden writer, I sometimes struggle with the question of when to write about a new plant variety. It’s fun to get a sneak peek of things Costa Farms be offering in the future, but as a gardener, I also know how frustrating it is to read about a plant that I can’t find because it’s not for sale yet.

So consider this a spoiler alert and stop reading if you only care about plants you can buy right now. 

One of the really cool, fun new plants we have hidden away in our research and development area is Raven® ZZ plant. It brings the best qualities of regular old ZZ plant -- it’s super tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions and thrives virtually anywhere as long as it isn’t overwatered) along with rich, purple-black foliage. 

These intensely colored leaves are a fantastic contrast to other green houseplants, especially variegated hard-to-kill varieties like Chinese evergreen, Colorful Aglaonema, and silvery ‘Moonshine’ snake plant. Of course, it also looks gorgeous all on its own. 

Raven® ZZ plant is so exciting that it’s already won an award – Best New Foliage Plant at the 2018 Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition (TPIE) in January. It’s fantastic to have a new plant that’s both visually stylish and a cinch to grow.

Wondering when ZZ plant will be available? We’re still building up stock now, but plan to start shipping the first plants to garden centers across North America in spring of 2020. 

Written by Justin Hancock