Growing a Peace Lily

                                               

                             How to care for a Peace Lily (Spathyfillum)

Light: Prefers medium, indirect sunlight. Yellow leaves indicate the Peace Lily is  getting too much light. Brown spot and streaks may indicate direct sun rays have reached the plant and scorched it. Peace Lilies do fine under florescent lights and some have been known to thrive in rooms with no windows at all!

Temperature: The Peace Lily makes a great house plant because it thrives in the indoor temperatures people enjoy. Cold drafts will harm it so make sure to keep it away from non-insulated windows and screen doors.

Fertilizer: Feed a general house plant fertilizer (20-20-20) at one-half or one-quarter recommended strength every 3 to 6 months. Over-fertilization can cause leaves to go brown.

Water:  Many growers wait for the plant to droop slightly before watering, allowing the plant to tell them when it’s thirsty. In general, water once a week and spritz the leaves with soft or distilled water throughout the summer growing season. Water plant less in winter.

If you find your plant completely depleted with fronds flat over pot edge because you forgot to water for a while, don’t just throw it in the trash. Water and spritz right away. You may be surprised at how quickly the Peace Lily revives.

If your water system is heavily chlorinated, fill a container with water and then allow it to stand overnight so the chlorine can percolate out before pouring into the Peace Lily. Peace lilies can be sensitive to chlorine.

Blooming:  The white blooms of the Peace Lily generally appear in the spring as more of a modified leaf, a “bract,” than a multi-petaled flower. Very well cared for plants may bloom again in the autumn as well. Blooms last for two months or more. After blooms fade, a period of non-blooming follows.

Re-potting the Peace Lily:  Re-pot the Peace Lily when roots are apparent or when it seems to be taking up all water provided every few days.

Care Variations during the Peace Lily’s Life Cycle

 Unlike many house plants, Peace lilies do not enter a dormant stage during the winter. They don’t bloom, but they don’t die back either. Therefore, while fertilizer isn’t necessary and water needs are reduced somewhat in winter, owners don’t need to change their Peace Lily or Spathiphyllum care strategy significantly as the seasons pass.

Watch the plant for signals: green blooms indicate over-fertilization. Since your peace lily has the potential to last for years, you can experiment. Green blooms just mean that you can cut the fertilizer dose in half the following growing season. Always fertilize only when soil is moist.

The Peace Lily blooms in the spring and the white “bracts” last anywhere from a few weeks to two months. When the stamen starts shaking off pollen onto floor, pets and your clothing, pinching it off won’t harm the plant.

 You’ll know the flowers are fading when they start turning green and wilt. At this point, stop the plant from directing too much energy toward a dying bract by pruning it off as far down toward the base of the plant as possible. The growing leaves and roots can use the excess energy.

Pruning the Peace Lily

The only time Peace Lilies need pruning are when leaves yellow and the flower fades. Cut both with a clean blade as close to the soil level as possible. 

Peace Lily Insect, Disease and Environmental Issue Symptom and Solution Chart

Compared to other house plants, the Peace Lily is relatively immune to insects and diseases. While they can get spider mites, aphids and mealy bugs, owners generally keep these pests under control with regular wiping of the leaves. If pests do invade, spray plant with this recipe for homemade insecticidal soap.

Brown tips on Peace Lily  leaves

Multiple causes:  This common Peace Lily issue can stem from everything from over-watering, over-fertilizing and lack of humidity.

If leaves are browning at the bottom of the plant, it could just mean these older leaves can’t compete with the more rapidly growing younger leaves.

 Watch whether plant wilts before you water it. Learn to follow your plant’s signals.

 Prune brown Peace Lily leaves.

Yellowing leaves

Insufficient water.

Too much light

The Peace Lily wins the “easy” label for four reasons. 

First, it sags when it needs water and revives quickly after a long drink. 

Second, it thrives in low light conditions. 

Third, the Peace Lilly is very resilient. An insect infestation or a few forgotten waterings may make it wilt and pale, but once tended to, it bounces back quickly. 

Finally, with sufficient care and occasional wiping of its leaves, the Peace Lily doesn’t seem to be the insect magnet that that many other house plants are. Eco-friendly insecticidal soap takes care of any invaders.

                              Enjoy caring for this wonderful, air filtering plant plant.