What is a Peace Lily Plant?
This plant is one of the most popular indoor plants for several reasons! First, it's one of the top 10 indoor air cleaning plants! Another reason people love Peace Lilies is they are super easy to maintain. They also display attractive white spathe bracts covering the spadix (spikes that have small flowers on a fleshy stem) in the spring. These blooms can last from 3 to 8 weeks, depending on the climate and Peace Lily care. Interestingly, this beauty got its name for its white flower, as white is a symbol of a ceasefire or peace.
This Peace Lily makes a suitable floor plant as it can reach 2-3 feet tall and wide. It can droop when it's thirsty, giving visual clues. Just water with the following directions, and it will perk up, and its stems will become more turgid. If the spathe is turning greenish, it's an indication of too much water. After watering, let the plant drain well and watch for it to give you clues on its moisture needs.
Toxicity Level
If eaten, this indoor plant is mildly toxic and will induce oral sensitivity, extreme drooling, vomiting, and trouble swallowing. When working with the plant or trimming, wear gloves as the sap can cause skin irritation.
Air Cleaner
This plant is rated by a NASA study as neutralizing formaldehyde and carbon monoxide, making it on our top ten favorite list every year. Not only will this plant lighten up a space, it will make it fresher and cleaner! Enjoy the pure, clean air when you have a Peace Lily.
Great for people:
- Who have medium indirect light for Peace Lily care indoors
- Who need visual cues and reminders
- Who are 'peacemakers!'
How to Care for a Peace Lily Plant
Light preference
The Peace Lily plant will produce the flower-like spathes and spadix in moderate indirect sunlight. It can tolerate lower light, but it may not flower in the early spring or summer as usual. Northern and eastern exposure close to a window is optimum. They don't tolerate hot indirect sun in the afternoon or evening as it can burn the leaves - this is true for both outdoor care and Peace Lily care indoors.
Water/Humidity
The Peace Lily or Spathiphyllum is an easy indoor plant to manage. Let the top of the soil dry a little but generally keep it evenly moist and try watering once a week until you see what it tells you by its weepy cues. The leaves will droop if they're thirsty but will bounce back afterward. Use lukewarm, filtered, or bottled water, and flush the plant. These plants are sensitive to chemicals, so if using tap water, let it set out for 24 hours to allow the chlorine to evaporate.
When adding moisture, avoid watering the crown when taking care of Peace Lily plants. Instead, water along the outside edges of the container. This approach will prevent lodging water between the stems and eventually rotting. Bottom watering is also an option and can get water to its roots faster. Place the container in a tub or sink filled with the water, as mentioned earlier, and let it sit for 15 minutes. The root system will soak upwards, penetrating the soil and roots.
Allow the water to drain fully before placing it back in a decorative pot if it's in a liner pot. Repeat this watering schedule when the Peace Lily's topsoil gets dry again. Slow down the watering schedule in the winter to every 10-14 days depending on the environment it’s in. This time of year, it is not growing as much and in a resting period.
Add humidity to it by spritzing several times a week and adding a humidifier or pebble tray to the container's bottom for optimal Peace Lily care.
Ideal Temps
18°C-30°C/ 65°F-86°F.
Keep your Peace Lily away from cold air or drafts near windows or doors in colder climates.
Plant Food/Fertilizer
Add our organic fertilizer to the top layer of soil every two months for optimum growth and plant health in the spring and summer months. Suspend fertilizing in the fall and winter months while it rests.
Normally, Peace Lily's don't flower until fully matured. Growers use a natural plant hormone called gibberellic acid to promote flowering prematurely. Add this hormone to your fertilizing mixture or wait until full development.
Repotting Frequency
Repot with fertile, well-draining soil for indoor plants when the roots emerge through the drainage holes or about every three years. During the early spring, repot in a pot that is 2" wider in size.
Some of the Peace Lily's leaves may lose some of its leaves or turn yellow. This occurrence is a transplant shock reaction but will recover. Just clip the discolored leaves or flowers off to the base of the stem to promote new growth. Give it standard care, and it should improve with new leaf growth.
To propagate this plant, find the crown (set of 2-3 stems together) and separate them carefully from one another. Tickle the roots and pull apart to divide and repot with the same type of soil mixture used with the mother plant.
If you are going to divide and conquer this plant, why not try some hydroponic planting? To do this type of Peace Lily care indoors, take the section of the plant and wash the roots off. Remove all soil on the roots until white roots are showing. You can do this by preparing a bucket of tap water (that has set out for at least 24 hours to dissipate the chemicals). Carefully swish the plant's roots back and forth in the water to loosen the soil. Pick off any remaining soil bits and trim the roots to 2-3 inches long on a 4-6" potted plant. Cut off any browning roots at this time too. Don't worry about killing your plant, because these are very forgiving and resilient. Use a clear vase and fill the bottom layer with clean glass marbles, pebbles, or colorful small rocks. Add the plant next, then lightly layer more of the same on the roots to stabilize them. Fill the vase up to the root ball but not above. Keep it out of direct sunlight, so algae don’t form. Replenish with more water as needed using filtered, bottled, or distilled water. This can be a chic alternative to the typical soil version of indoor plantings. Some even add colorful beta fish to the clear vase, to help add to your Peace Lily care! You may want to clean and replenish with new water every couple of months if it becomes murky.
Cleaning
Use a moist cloth to remove any dust accumulation on the leaves. Refrain from using spray leaf shine; this may prevent the stomata's (cell structure) exchange of carbon dioxide and water in the air; thus, harming the plant.
Common Issues of the Peace Lily Care
- Browning tips indicate inconsistent watering or too much fertilizer.
- Spider mites and mealybugs may attack this plant. When cleaning this plant, examine carefully and treat if needed.
- Nonflowering plants. Move to a brighter lit area in your home and fertilize or add the plant hormone, gibberellic acid.
Complimentary Plants with your Peace Lily Plant
Add the colorful, tropical look of a Croton 'Petra' to your indoor plant collection. Hues of red, yellow, orange, and green leaves bring sunshine to any corner. They require the same type of humidity levels as the Peace Lily plant. One difference is it takes more bright, indirect light.
Peperomia clusiifolia 'Ginny' is a great tabletop plant with variegated leaves. It's an easy, low-maintenance plant that is pet-friendly too. Safe for pets and loved by humans makes it a win-win!
For more information on caring for your new Croton indoor plant, check out our comprehensive care guide here.