Peace Lily Care
Peace lilies are one of the most common house plants; they add lush, green foliage, pretty white flowers, and a little drama to life. I say drama because if you forget to water your peace lily, chances are it will flop over dramatically like a Victorian lady fainting onto a divan. Over in the HPH Facebook group, we often see new peace lily owners worrying that their plant can’t be “saved” due to this dramatic flair - but don’t worry, because they usually perk up after a thorough soaking.
Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) aren’t actually true lilies at all — they come from the Araceae family. Despite the fact that they’re not true lilies, they are still toxic to pets, so they should be kept out of the way if you have a plant chewer in the family. Thankfully, the calcium oxalates in the peace lily (and in many other plants) irritate the mouth before the animal can ingest much plant matter at all.
They’ll do just fine in a regular all-purpose potting mix, but I find that mixing in some orchid bark, peat moss, and perlite improves drainage while keeping the soil moist enough that I don’t have to endure any amateur dramatics from the plant.
Watering is very important to them, so keep the soil moist but not soaking. They can dry out for short periods, but you’ll see the drama and some browning leaves if they’re left too dry for too long. Water less in winter, but remember that they also love humidity, so consider a pebble tray, grouping your peace lily with other plants, or investing in a humidifier.
When it comes to fertilizer I’m very lax, not to say lazy. That’s my peace lily’s problem though. Yours will appreciate a diluted dose of an all-purpose, balanced indoor houseplant fertilizer every other month or so during the spring and summer.
As tropical plants, they like it to stay fairly warm, so do not let the temperature dip below 60F (or about 15C). Otherwise they handle normal household temperatures very well. Don’t place your peace lily in the way of any cold drafts, however — they don’t like that at all.
Peace lilies can tolerate low light environments, but if you’d like to see your peace lily flower, make sure it’s getting adequate light. Bright indirect light will please most peace lilies. Mine is flowering now, a few yards away from the windows. When it lived nearer the windows, it produced more flowers more frequently (but it didn’t have a nice aquarium to boost the humidity, so sacrifices had to be made).
Want more tips and tricks for peace lilies? Just want to show off your peace lily? Head over to HPH on Facebook to join other plant enthusiasts from around the world!