How to Grow and Care for Peace Lily Plants

Peace lilies, or Spathiphyllum, are evergreen flowering plants from the tropical regions of Central and South America. Commonly grown indoors outside their hardiness zones (11-12 USDA), these plants are celebrated for their large, glossy leaves and stunning white blooms that appear mainly in the spring. With proper care, peace lilies can live for over two decades, maturing in about three years. Though not true lilies, they belong to the Araceae family and are favored for their ease of growth. However, they are toxic to humans and pets, so place them carefully in your home.

Peace Lily Care

Peace lilies grow best in bright, indirect light with fertile, organic soil. Here are the main care requirements for growing peace lilies:

• Usually grown as a houseplant indoors.
• Prefers rich, moderately moist soil and filtered sunlight.
• Keep temperature conditions consistent between 65 to 80°F.
• Prefers to be under-watered rather than overwatered.
• Fertilize frequently over the summer.

Planting

When grown in tropical and subtropical climates, peace lilies are normally planted in the spring while it is still cool.

Indoors, peace lilies can be purchased and brought inside any time of year, though you will want to protect them when transporting them in cold temperatures.

Peace lilies are happiest when they’re somewhat root-bound. However, when the plant has exceeded the pot’s capacity, put it in a larger container in the early spring. If you notice roots popping up out of the soil and down from the drainage holes, it’s time to repot. It’s ideal to pot the plant in a terra-cotta or clay vessel that wicks away excess moisture. Always use a high-quality potting mix and a pot with good drainage.

Light

A peace lily needs six to eight hours of indirect sunlight. They are shade-loving plants in their native habitats. But, peace lilies indoors need a bit more filtered light. An east-facing window is a prime spot to place a peace lily in your house.

Soil

Peace lilies like a rich, loose potting mix that contains plenty of organic matter. These plants are native to tropical canopy conditions where the soil is packed with deteriorating plant material, so you’ll find the best success with soil that mimics this composition. Additionally, the plant is also sensitive to overly damp soil conditions, so be sure to choose a well-draining mixture.

Water

Peace lilies prefer to be under-watered rather than overwatered. How often you should water a peace lily depends on the container size and how fast the soil drains, but, in general, water when the top inch of soil has dried out (often once a week). In winter, reduce watering, but never allow the soil to dry out completely. When watering, be sure to bottom water, as watering the top of the plant can cause leaves to develop black spots.

Temperature and Humidity

These plants prefer moist warmth. Avoid cold drafts and temperatures that fall below 55°F; the plant will die when exposed to prolonged cold temperatures. The ideal temperature range for your peace lily is 65 to 80°F. Spritz the leaves every week with softened or distilled water throughout the summer growing season to raise humidity.

Fertilizer

Peace lilies appreciate frequent feedings, which result in the strongest plant and seasonal blooming. Using a diluted 20-20-20 fertilizer, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and feed your plant weekly in the summer, or use slow-release pellets at the beginning of the season. You do not need to fertilize the plant during the winter.

Types of Peace Lilies

Peace lilies have been heavily hybridized and, therefore, come in dozens of popular varieties. They range in size from miniature to massive and from deep green with snow-white flowers to golden-leaved beauties. Some of the popular types of peace lilies include:

• ​Spathiphyllum ‘Wallisii’ is named after plant collector Gustav Wallis and has basal, glossy, and somewhat deeply veined leaves.
• S. ‘Kochii’ is known for its glossy, dark green leaves and elegant white blooms.
• S. ‘Cochlearispathum’ is native to Latin America and offers periodic flowers during most of the year except winter.
• S. ’Power Petite’ is a small varietal that grows to only about 15 inches.
• S. ‘Mauna Loa Supreme’ is a very common variety that grows to be between 3 to 4 feet tall, with leaves that are up to 9 inches wide.
• S. ‘Sensation’ is the largest peace lily varietal, which reaches up to 6 feet in height with broad, 20-inch long leaves.
• S. ‘Golden Delicious’ this varietal features new growth with a stunning golden-green color.
• S. ‘Starlight’ is a varietal with narrow leaves that have wavy margins. It’s also known for having multiple blooms, with as many as 20 flowers on a single plant.
• S. silvicola is known for lush, dark green foliage and striking white spathes.

Propagating Peace Lily

Propagate this plant by dividing clumps while repotting the peace lily, which can be done in any season. Take these steps:

1. Inspect the plant for small offshoot crowns located adjacent to the main parent plant; this is a sign the plant is ready to divide.
2. Remove the plant from its container, and then tug apart the adjacent crowns (or cut away a section of the main root ball).
3. Fill a 6-inch pot with fresh potting mix that is moist but not soggy.
4. Plant the clumps and water thoroughly.
5. Keep the plant somewhere warm and well-lit. The roots should reestablish themselves in less than a month.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

These plants are free of most diseases and pests that can plague houseplants. But they can be susceptible to scale and mealybugs. Spot treatment with horticultural oil is a good strategy for these pests.

How to Get Peace Lily to Bloom

Peace lilies are notoriously difficult when it comes to blooming. Sometimes, even the happiest, healthiest plants don’t bloom outside of their natural rainforest environment. If you’re hoping to have your indoor peace lily bloom, your best bet is to provide it with very consistent, ideal conditions, especially when it comes to humidity, diffused light, and consistent fertilizer.

Bloom Months

Peace lily typically blooms in the spring, around April. In optimum conditions, the plant will flower twice a year, in spring and fall.

What Do Peace Lily’s Flowers Look and Smell Like?

Peace lily has white flowers that resemble calla lilies. (The flowers will turn a pale green as the plant matures.) The flowers have a light fragrance.

How to Encourage More Blooms

The peace lily flower stages are budding, blooming, going to seed, and wilting. The buds are fairly small and unfurl like leaves. It can take some time for them to come into bloom, so be patient. When the bloom fades, deadhead the spent flower. Encourage blooms by keeping the plant in bright, indirect sunlight and regularly feeding during the spring and summer to maintain the plant’s energy.

Common Problems With Peace Lily

Yellowing Leaves

Yellow leaves are mainly the result of watering issues. Overwatering and underwatering can cause peace lily leaves to droop and turn yellow, as can poor water quality. If you water your peace lilies with tap water that contains a high amount of fluoride and chlorine, this can affect the soil pH levels, therefore causing yellow leaves.

Curling Leaves

Curled, pale leaves generally indicate that the plant is receiving too much light overall. And scorched leaves indicate too much direct sun. In either case, the plant should be moved to a shadier location.

Browning Tips

You might notice browning on your peace lily’s leaf tips. This can be due to too much or too little water, as well as poor soil drainage. It also can arise due to insufficient humidity. Plus, the buildup of salts in the soil might be a culprit. Ensure that your plant is properly watered and that the soil is draining. If that doesn’t seem to be the issue, try flushing the soil by watering until you see water coming from the drainage holes to remove the salts.