How to Grow and Care for Peace Lilies

Peace lilies are a popular and easy to care for houseplant. Known for its glossy green leaves and beautiful white flowers (called spathes), this plant is a symbol of peace and a great addition to any home because it can tolerate low light and even help purify the air!

Although they are not true lilies (from Spathiphyllum species), most peace lilies can grow between 1 and 4 feet wide and are tropical plants native to Central and South America. As long as they receive enough light, they will produce pretty white flowers from early summer and can continue to bloom throughout the year.

Peace lilies can’t tolerate cold, so they can only be grown outdoors in warmer, more humid climates, such as USDA zones 10 and 11. But we’ll show you how to care for your lily peace and keep him happy inside.

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Why are they called Peace Lilies?

Peace lilies get their name from the off-white flower that is produced on the plant beginning in early summer (it is actually a white leaf surrounding a cluster of small flowers on a stem). The white flowers are reminiscent of white peace flags, hence its name!

How often should I water peace lilies?

You’ll want to give your peace lily a nice, full drink when you water it, but allow it to dry out between waterings. You can stick your finger in the soil to check its moisture and wait until it is almost dry before watering again. Peace lilies are susceptible to root rot, so make sure that the planter you are using has drainage holes and do not let the plant sit in standing water if there is water in the drainage tray.

You can also keep an eye on the leaves as they will start to drop when they need a little water. So if your plant starts drooping about a week after watering, then you will start to get an idea of ​​how often to water.

Water lilies are sensitive to tap water, so if you can’t use distilled, filtered or rainwater, let the tap water sit overnight and this will allow the chlorine to dissipate.

How much sun do peace lilies need?

While ideally peace lilies benefit from direct, indirect sunlight, peace lilies are a good plant to choose if you have a low-light area, as they also do well in shade or in partial shade.

Direct light will dry out the peace lily and cause leaf burn. The more bright light a peace lily receives, the more frequently it will bloom, so place it in a brighter location if you want to get the best flowers.

Should I fertilize?

Peace lilies don’t need a lot of fertilizer, but you can use a fertilizer 20-20-20 mixed at quarter strength to fertilize throughout the growing season (spring and summer) every two months.

Repotting Peace Lilies

Peace lilies don’t mind being a little confined in a pot, but if you see roots starting to grow through the surface or through the bottom drainage holes, it’s time to move them to a larger pot. big. Gently loosen the roots with your hands to break them up a bit and this will encourage the roots to spread out.

Choose a pot that is only about 2″ larger than the current size, as a pot that is too large will retain too much moisture for the plant and encourage root rot. Although it is best to repot during the growing months of the year (spring and summer), repotting can be done at any time of the year and you will want to good soil that combines drainage and moisture retention.

Temperature and Humidity for Peace Lilies

Ideal indoor temperatures for peace lilies are between 65°F and 75°F and you will want to keep them away from drafty doors or windows. If you keep a potted plant outside, be sure to bring it indoors once temperatures drop below 50°.

Being a tropical plant, the peace lily likes humidity, so giving it light mistings with a spray bottle will make it feel more comfortable. You can also place them on gravel on a tray and then pour a little water into the gravel, which will create humidity around the plant as it evaporates. Just make sure the water level is below the gravel so the plant isn’t directly in the water.

Pruning Peace Lilies

Once a stem has flowered, that stem will no longer produce flowers, so you can cut the stem at the bottom with clean scissors or shears (be sure to disinfect your shears with isopropyl alcohol between cuts so not to spread disease).

Yellowed or shriveled leaves can also be cut off at the base to clean up the plant’s appearance.

Propagating Peace Lilies

You can divide the peace lily into multiple plants by removing it from its pot and gently trying to separate the crowns from the plant. You can also use a sharp knife to cut the roots if they don’t separate easily, then simply replant the pieces into their own container with good soil that combines drainage and moisture retention.

Can peace lilies grow in water?

Peace lilies can be grown in water rather than in a traditional soil container. You can grow them in water by:

• Take it out of its pot and rinse the soil from the roots with lukewarm water (cut off any roots showing signs of rot).
• Place the plant in a clean glass vase so that its roots touch the bottom.
• Add distilled, filtered water or rainwater to the vase to cover the roots. Make sure it doesn’t rise to the leaves or stems, as water will cause them to rot.
• You can add a few drops of liquid fertilizer and place it in indirect sunlight to help it grow.

To minimize transplant shock, you can also add some of the soil the plant was in to the water, then change the water weekly to have less and less soil until it no longer has is more than water. This will acclimate him to the water more slowly for a better chance of success.

Diagnose common problems

• Brown Leaves Tips: This could be caused by using tap water. Try cutting off the brown parts of the leaves if you like (although leaving them won’t harm the plant) and using filtered, distilled, or rain water instead. Or you can leave tap water in your watering can overnight before watering, which will help dissipate the chlorine.
• Pests: Small pests like spider mites and aphids can bother peace lilies, but you can wipe the leaves then spray with them. insecticidal soap to keep insects away.
• Plant that does not flower: Peace lilies need a certain amount of light to bloom, so you may need to move them to a sunnier location to encourage flower growth.
• Green or weak flowers: Green blooms may be a sign of over-fertilizing, while weak blooms may mean your plant could use a dose of fertilizer to strengthen the plant a bit (try one designed for flowering plants).