Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) is one of the most popular indoor plants because of its undeniable beauty. As soon as I learned how to care for my peace lily, it quickly became a must-have in my houseplant collection.
Beloved for its white blooms (which resemble those of calla-lilies) and its dark green foliage, peace lily plants are low-maintenance, air-purifying, and great for beginners.
If you appreciate blooming houseplants, the peace lily plant is one you won’t want to miss out on. They’re great as indoor decor and make perfect gifts, too.
Peace lilies are very easy to find at garden centers and are even available online from many plant retailers.
Once you’re ready to welcome this beauty into your home, these care tips will help you keep your new plant healthy and vibrant.
What is a Peace Lily Plant?
Peace lilies are easy to identify because of their signature white blooms or “spathe” that grow out of tall green stems and glossy green foliage.
The plant can grow very large with age, as long as its provided with the right environment. This doesn’t mean you can’t keep it small, though.
Widely available in smaller containers, they’re perfect for offices and homes that are full of natural light.
It’s important to note that peace lilies, while lovely plants, are not true lilies. They do, however, come from the same family as the calla-lily, which it resembles through its white spathes.
This tropical plant can be grown outdoors in humid climates but it’s commonly grown as a houseplant.
I find that growing it indoors is the best way to keep it happy throughout the year but especially during the growing season since the summers are regularly reaching triple digits these days.
If you live in an area with harsh temperatures during the winter months, you’ll want to bring your peace lily plant indoors in the fall as it will NOT survive in that kind of climate – it’s just not a good idea to leave it outdoors in cold rain and snow.
Sunlight Needs of Peace Lily Plants
This indoor plant does not appreciate harsh or direct sunlight but it definitely needs enough light to produce its famous peace lily blooms. It enjoys shadier environments and prefers indirect sunlight over full sun.
It will NOT produce blooms if kept in the shade, however, so for best results, be mindful of the spot you choose to place it in. The spot should let in featured sunlight.
Keeping it too close to a window though can cause two problems: it can get dehydrated and burned by the harsh sun during the summer and it can get far too cold in the winter.
Humidity Plays a Big Part in Peace Lily Care
Peace lilies, like other tropical houseplants, appreciate high humidity. If your home has low humidity levels, you can remedy this problem in two ways:
- Regularly mist the plant with a water-filled spray bottle OR
2) Create a “humidity tray”. To do this, fill a shallow saucer or tray with small pebbles or decorative stones and pour a bit of water into it. Place the plant on top of the saucer.
The water in the tray will help bring moisture into the air and thus increase the humidity levels around the plant. Make sure to refresh the water every few days.
In addition to a humid environment, room temperature plays an important role in good peace lily care.
This beautiful plant thrives in a climate that is between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. It doesn’t like cold drafts, so don’t place too close to the front or back door during the winter.
Also, keep the plant away from your heating and cooling systems, as this could dry out the soil!
How to Water a Peace Lily Plant
Watering this popular indoor plant is not a complicated process, so there’s no need to feel intimidated by it! In fact, peace lily is the perfect plant for beginners because the leaves will wilt and droop, which is a sign that the plant needs to be watered as soon as possible; no guessing required with this plant!
This is actually pretty neat because not every houseplant gives us such an obvious sign that it needs to be watered.
Thankfully, the plant should perk right back up a few hours after it’s been watered.
You’ll need to be mindful of two things when it comes to how to water your peace lily:
1) providing consistent moisture
2) providing good drainage which you can attain through a good potting mix and drainage holes in your pot
Water your plant when the soil feels dry a few inches deep into the pot. This will likely be about once a week, maybe twice a week during the summer and less often in the winter.
Drench the soil generously until water seeps out of the drainage hole. If your pot doesn’t have a drainage hole, you’ll need to be more conservatively when you water. Always remember that peace lily plant loves moist soil, not water-logged soil, which can cause root rot.
How to Deadhead a Peace Lily Plant
Deadheading a peace lily plant is pretty straightforward – you just need to snip off the dead blooms at the stem near the bottom of the plant.
Deadheading this way actually encourages the plant to put its energy towards producing more blooms!
Always make sure to use sharp, clean scissors or pruners when pruning your plants.
Common Problems
While caring for this plant is pretty easy, you can still run into some common issues.
Your plant might experience brown leaf tips or yellow leaves which can either signify overwatering or underwatering (frustrating, I know).
To remedy the problem, make sure you’re only watering when the soil feels dry. If it feels moist, wait a few more days to water so that you don’t drown the roots. If you let the leaves droop significantly on your plant, make sure you’re giving it enough water and checking on it regularly before dry soil becomes a problem in the future.
If you tend to overwater your plants, wait to water until the leaves just barely begin to droop; this will help you determine when your plant needs a drink.
Also, peace lily plants are toxic if ingested. Some parts of the plant contain calcium oxalate, which can cause respiratory and digestive issues if ingested. Keep this plant away from small children and pets!
How to Re-pot a Peace Lily Plant
Repotting is a great way to rejuvenate a peace lily plant; it will definitely appreciate the fresh soil and nutrients, especially if it’s rootbound!
Rootbound plants are easy to spot: tip the plant sideways and gently pull the plant out of the pot. If more roots are visible than actual soil around the bottom half of the root ball, then the plant needs a larger pot so it can accommodate its growing root system.
Repotting is especially helpful because the additional soil will help retain more water, which means you won’t have to water as frequently and the plant won’t get dehydrated as quickly.
Never repot a houseplant into a container that is more than 20% larger than its current pot, as this could shock the plant. Instead, opt for a pot or container that’s just once size larger and will accommodate the growing root system.
Always use fresh soil – any indoor plant soil mix will do. To re-pot, simply add a bit of soil to the bottom of the new pot and then place the plant in this new pot. Make sure the sides of the pot are filled with fresh soil and you’re done! Remember that all of the foliage should be above soil.
The tips above outline the most important guidelines when it comes to peace lily care. I hope you can see that this beautiful plant’s needs are pretty easy to meet. For more tips on growing low-maintenance indoor plants, head to this page!
Thank for instructions how to care for my peace lily. I know the needs of my plant now. Thank you.