Peace lilies are some of the loveliest indoor plants you can grow. Beloved for their white blooms, which resemble those of calla-lilies, peace lily plants are easy to care for and are also air-purifying!
If you’re a fan of blooming houseplants, then you’ll love owning a peace lily plant. They help elevate indoor spaces and they also make a great gift! If you’re new to houseplants, peace lilies are among the most low-maintenance so they’re a great plant to start with.
Thankfully, peace lilies are very easy to find at garden centers and are even available online from 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 look: white blooms or “spathe” that grow out of tall green stems and rich green foliage.
They can grow quite large and wide as they age if given the right environment but they’re also widely available in smaller containers that are perfect for homes and offices.
Peace lilies are not technically lilies, but they come from the same family as the beautiful calla-lily, which features a similar bloom. This tropical plant can be grown outdoors in the right climate but it’s commonly grown as a houseplant.
Sunlight Needs of Peace Lily Plants
Peace Lily plants don’t appreciate harsh, direct sunlight. It enjoys shadier environments and prefers indirect sunlight. It will not produce blooms if kept in the shade, however, so be sure to pick the right spot for it.
It definitely needs a few hours of filtered sunlight in order to grow optimally.
Aim to place it a few feet away from a window that gets hit by strong sunlight in the afternoon. Keeping it close to a window can cause two problems: it can get dehydrated and burned by the sun in the summers, and it can get far too cold in the winters.
Humidity Plays a Big Part of Peace Lily Care
Peace lilies, like other tropical houseplants, appreciate humidity. If your home lacks high levels of humidity you can remedy this problem in two ways:
- Regularly mist the plant with a water-filled spray bottle OR
2) Make a “humidity tray”. 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 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 humidity, temperature plays an important role in good peace lily care. This beautiful plant thrives in a climate that’s between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and it doesn’t like cold drafts, so always keep that in mind during the winters.
Also, keep the plant away from your heating and cooling systems, as this could dry it out.
How to Water a Peace Lily Plant
Watering a peace lily plant is not a complicated process, so don’t feel intimidated by it!
You simply need to water your plant when the soil feels dry a few inches deep into the soil. This will likely be about once a week, maybe twice during the summer and less in the winter.
Fortunately, the leaves on a peace lily plant will alert you as to when it needs water. The foliage will wilt and droop, which is a sign that the plant needs to be watered as soon as possible.
This is actually pretty neat because not every houseplant gives 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.
To water, simply fill your watering can and 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 conservative when you water; only water enough to moisten the soil.
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.
Are Peace Lilies Poisonous?
Yes, 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!
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