Introduction
You love your peace lily, and why not? Peace lilies look gorgeous. They purify the air for you, and are easy to maintain! These things make them a very easy plant to raise! And an even easier one to groom. You have to take care of many things. But allow me to sum it up for you.
Peace lilies are houseplants popularly known for their ease of care. They require well-drained soil and partial sunshine. Sensitive to water, these plants begin to droop when they are thirsty. They need humidity and a temperature range of 65-75°F (18-24°C).
Peace Lily 101
In indoor conditions, peace lilies can be grown only in pots. You can find them outdoors only in countries and regions where the climate is tropical. Peace lilies are a popular indoor choice because they keep your air clean! Learn more about them here:
- Scientific name: Spathiphyllum wallisii
- Common name: Peace Lily
- Family: Araceae
- Genus: Monocotyledonous
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Native Country: Southeastern Asia and Americas (In tropical rainforests)
- Flowering: A cluster of white or yellow flowers
- Hardiness: USDA Zones 10 and 11
Caring for the Peace Lily Plant
- Ideal soil: A damp soil mix consisting of peat
- Drainage Needs: Good drainage is required
- Water Requirements: Requires more water in summer
- Sunlight Requirements: Appreciates medium levels of sunlight
- Temperature: 65-75°F (18-24°C)
- Humidity: Moist, like in tropical conditions
- Ideal pH: Acidic, 5.8 to 6.5
- Frost-Resistance: Very low, cannot tolerate temperatures below 45°F
- Fertilizer: Needs feeding in summer only
- Pruning: Prune any overgrown or dead flowers and leaves
- Propagation: Only by division, not possible through leaves or stems.
- Repotting: Best to repot it during the Spring season.
- Toxicity: Toxic for both humans and animals
1. What is the Ideal Soil for Peace Lily?
Organic soil is the best for peace lilies to make them feel at home.
Peace lilies are tropical plants that prefer damp soil. A peat-based mix is the best choice as it maintains acidic levels. Keeping the soil too moist may cause the root to rot.
I would recommend this amazing organic mix for the soil to be at its best.
A peace lily needs acidic soil, and if you give it high-alkaline water, the soil’s pH value can drop. This can slowly damage your plant.
Warning
Beware of improper drainage!
Peace lilies can experience root rot if water is not allowed to drain properly. Please never place a dish beneath the peace lily pot!
2. What are the Sunlight Requirements of Peace Lily?
The peace lily needs indirect, filtered sunlight to stay healthy!
Your peace lily is best kept in spaces where the sunlight is indirect. The light intensity needs to be mid-level. You don’t need to place your plant close to a bright window.
With the right amount of light, you can also expect flowers to bloom! Particularly during the summer. For indoors, you would want your peace lily to get indirect sunshine. They are so good with a shade that they can thrive in fluorescent light as well.
Warning
You wouldn't want the leaves of your peace lily to curl and change color!
Too much indirect light can ruin and curl the shape of your peace lily leaves. If you find the leaves turning yellow, move it to a place where there's less sunlight.
3. What is the Humidity Requirement of Peace Lily?
Always keep your peace lily away from super cool temperatures and harsh weather conditions!
You should keep misting your peace lily during the summer. Peace lilies are good at maintaining moisture. Avoid giving a humid environment during the winter. It can make your peace lily suffer. Any temperature below 55°F will be hard for your plant to tolerate.
4. How Should I Water the Peace Lily?
Give your peace lily a tropical environment during the summer and tone it down in the winter.
Your peace lily loves being watered. But that does not mean you should not give it the time to dry in between. Whenever you find your peace lily drooping, then it’s the right time to water!
During the Summer
It would help if you keep the soil moist and soft. Water once a week once you notice that the topmost soil has dried. Also, mist the leaves for higher humidity.
During the Winter
Please don’t keep the soil as moist as it was during the summer. However, it would help if you did not let the soil run completely dry either. Only water the plant when you find the top surface of the soil to be dry.
Warning
The type of water you use can affect your peace lily!
You need to be mindful of the type of water you give to your peace lily. If you are using tap water, you need to prepare it. There should be no high levels of chlorine present.
Pro-tip
When in doubt, use filtered water!
Tap water can contain high levels of alkali. If you use tap water, you will need to make sure it is ready to use.
5. How to Fertilize the Peace Lily?
When the weather is hot, your peace lily would require more fertilization!
It needs weekly fertilization during the summer but none during the winter. Peace lilies love organic material due to their tropical origin. They are very sensitive to chemicals. So never go for a chemical fertilizer as it can gradually kill your plant.
If natural fertilizer is hard for you to find. From my experience, I would suggest you use this liquid fertilizer for your peace lily.
It caters to a variety of houseplants!
6. How to Prune the Peace Lily?
You will need to prune the peace lily once its flower and leaves begin to die!
The Peace lily produces a bloom. The actual bloom is the cluster of flowers along with it. After a flower dies, the stalk will begin passing away too. To prune it properly, you need to make the cut as low as you can.
Usually, people think of the white leaf as a flower. But that’s just the leaf!
7. How to Repot the Peace Lily?
Repot your peace lily during Spring to freshen it up!
Remember that the new pot should contain a good drainage system. Ideally, there should be a hole in the bottom of the pot. Don’t forget to keep a dish underneath. It will save you from a mess!
Use fresh soil in the new pot for your peace lily. You can expect more babies to spring up in the new environment. The dish below the pot will help keep the soil slightly moist.
Pro-tip
The pot size for your peace lily
Your peace lily would not need a pot that's bigger than 10 inches.
Things You Should Know About the Peace Lily
1. How to Propagate the Peace Lily?
You can only propagate your peace lily by dividing it!
It is not possible to propagate peace lilies via leaves or even stems. If the peace lily is small, you can easily take out the crowns surrounding it. If the peace lily is too large, you may have to take it out of the pot. Once you get the entire plant out, you’ll need to cut it in the center.
Here are a few steps to successfully propagate your precious peace lily:
- Take out the parent plant from its pot
- Shake the soil or gently brush it off from the sides using a spade
- Look for roots that have a bunch of leaves. This bunch is altogether a peace lily baby!
- Gently separate the baby from its parent plant.
- Every baby peace lily should be planted separately
- The best pot size for each baby would be at most six inches
You can keep your peace lily in either soil or water. However, it is best to choose pots for babies. If you do place them in water, make sure the root is slightly above the bottom level of water. You would also need to change the water regularly. This would require more care.
Warning
Better in soil than in water!
Baby plants should always be placed in soil. Since they are small, it would be hard to raise them in water alone. Especially in the beginning.
2. How Toxic is the Peace Lily?
Peace lilies contain toxic and poisonous chemicals!
You should never orally consume the peace lily. It can be toxic for pets and humans alike. If you ever do so, you can feel nauseous or even develop itching.
Consuming peace lilies in high amounts can even result in organ failure. But don’t worry! That rarely ever happens since it’s the worst case scenario.
Warning
Peace lilies are poisonous!
Keep your peace lily out of reach of animals and children.
3. What are Common Issues With the Peace Lily?
Your peace lily can show symptoms of inefficient care, along with pests!
The flower or leaves of your peace lily may turn yellow. This is a sign that the leaf and flowers are dying. Problematic parts would need to be cut off. Otherwise, it can affect the entire plant.
Root Rotting for Peace Lilies Growing in Water
Peace lilies growing in water are prone to experiencing root rot.
Brown or Yellow Spots on the Leaves
These spots can appear when you are giving too much water. The spots appear because overwatering causes fungi. The fungi damage the leaves and make them look weak. To tackle this situation, you can:
- Place your peace lily in a new pot with a fresh, well-drained soil mix
- Apply charcoal on the roots of your peace lily as a disinfectant
- Instead of a new pot, fill a new soil mix in your pot
Diseases and Pests
The best way to keep the pests away is to spray with a liquid of insecticidal soap. Common insects that invade peace lilies include spiders, mites, and aphids.
Conclusion
Your peace lily would require slightly damp soil. The ideal temperature for your peace lily is between 65-75°F (18-24°C). An organic fertilizer will help keep the soil acidic. Remember to keep it away from direct sunlight. Never let the houseplant get too moist or damp during the winter, or else it will freeze!
Want to go through more air purifying plants? You will love all the 7 best air purifying succulents on our list!
There are some plants that can purify the air easily with their presence. Read ahead to learn more about them!
By
Jimena Bolívar
Easy Succulents Founder
My name is Jimena and I'm the the founder of Easy Succulents! I'm fascinated by this wonderful plants and I want to share with the world everything I know about them!
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