Peace Lilies are a fantastic choice for homes and offices. Their lush dark green leaves and beautiful white flowers add beauty to a space and help purify the air.
Knowing how to care for Peace Lily is essential if you’re considering adding one to your indoor plant collection. While Peace Lilies are relatively low-maintenance, understanding their watering needs and how to handle drooping or yellowing leaves will keep them thriving. If your plant starts outgrowing its pot, a proper repotting routine will ensure it stays healthy and happy.
About Peace Lilies
Despite their name, Peace Lilies aren’t true lilies. These tropical evergreens belong to the Arum family and are native to the lush rainforests of Central and South America. On the forest floor, they thrive in dappled sunlight with consistent moisture and humidity. You will have to mimic these conditions at home to keep them happy.
With the right light, Peace Lilies produce elegant white or off-white flowers, typically starting in early summer and sometimes blooming year-round indoors. Most common household varieties reach about 16 inches tall, while larger outdoor cultivars can grow leaves up to 6 feet long. However, they’re not cold-hardy, so unless you live in a warm, humid climate), they’re best kept as indoor plants.
Where To Put A Peace Lily
Peace Lilies love bright and indirect sunlight. They should be kept from cold drafts, so choose a spot away from doors or fireplaces. Since they naturally thrive in humid tropical environments, place them in a bathroom or kitchen to mimic their preferred conditions.
How To Plant Peace Lily
When planting or repotting your Peace Lily, choose a container twice the size of its root ball and use a well-draining, all-purpose potting mix. The soil should retain moisture while drying out gradually. Excessive dryness can stress the plant, while overly wet soil may cause root rot.
Repotting every few years in spring helps refresh the soil and keep the plant healthy. If your Peace Lily outgrows its pot, you can divide it into smaller plants. Remove it from the container, separate the root clumps, and ensure each new section has a few healthy leaves. Since Peace Lilies grow from rhizomes, they can handle a bit of rough handling during the process.
How To Care For Peace Lily
Here are the primary care requirements for growing Peace Lily:
Light
Peace Lilies thrive in bright, indirect sunlight. An east-facing window is ideal, giving them gentle morning light without the harsh afternoon sun. A north-facing window can also work well, providing consistent but soft light throughout the day.
Avoid placing your Peace Lily in direct sunlight, especially near a south-facing window, as too much sun can dry out the plant and scorch its leaves.
Water
Watering your Peace Lily is not about sticking to a schedule but checking the soil. Keep it lightly moist but never soggy. While Peace Lilies can handle short dry spells, prolonged dryness can lead to brown leaf tips, signaling they need more water or humidity.
One of the best things about these plants is they let you know when they’re thirsty! If the leaves start drooping, test the soil with your finger—if it feels dry, it’s time to water. Don’t panic; they can be a little dramatic, but they bounce back quickly after a good drink.
Use filtered, room-temperature water instead of tap water to prevent brown leaf tips, as Peace Lilies are sensitive to chemicals like fluoride.
Temperature And Humidity
Peace Lilies thrive in warm, tropical conditions. They prefer daytime temperatures between 18–23°C and slightly cooler nights. Keep them away from heating vents, doors, or drafty windows, as immediate temperature changes can stress the plant.
Since they love humidity, misting their leaves occasionally or placing their pot on a tray of moistened gravel can help maintain the proper moisture levels.
Fertilizer
Peace Lilies aren’t heavy feeders, so they only need occasional fertilizing. Starting in late winter, feed them with a balanced houseplant fertilizer every six weeks to encourage healthy growth in spring and summer.
Pests And Problems
If you notice tiny flies hovering around your Peace Lily’s soil, you’re likely dealing with fungus gnats. These pests thrive in moist compost, so reducing watering frequency can help break their lifecycle. You can also set homemade traps using shallow dishes filled with diluted cordial, wine, or beer to attract and eliminate them.
If leaves turn yellow, trim them to make space for fresh growth. However, overwatering could be the culprit if multiple leaves are turning yellow. Let the soil dry out before watering again to see if that helps.
If you see brown edges on the leaves, your Peace Lily is getting too much direct sunlight. Move it to a spot with bright, indirect light to prevent further scorching.
