How to Care for Peace Lilies (2024)

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How to Plant, Repot, and DividePeaceLilies

• Plant or replant your lilies in a container twice as large as the root ball with well-draining, all-purpose potting soil. The soil should be able to hold moisture and dry out slowly over time. Peace lilies don’t like to dry out entirely, but they also won’t do well if kept in soil that’s constantly wet, as this fosters root rotfungus.
• Repotting the plant every few years in the spring is suitable for the peace lily, as it will appreciate the refreshedsoil.
• Eventually, the peace lily may grow too large for its pot, at which point it can be divided. Remove the plant from its pot and split it into smaller plants, being sure to leave several leaves perclump. Peace lilies grow from rhizomes, so they can tolerate a bit of tough treatment duringdividing.

Can Peace Lilies be Grown inWater?

Yes, peace lilies can growin water alone; they are often sold in vases without any soil. Ideally, the base of the plant should be suspended above the water line, either by a specially-made vase insert or a layer of small river stones. This allows the roots to grow down into the water but keeps the base of the plant and its leaves from being constantly wet, which can causerot.

Lighting

• Place peace lilies in indirect but bright sunlight.An east-facing window is perfect, as the plant will be exposed tothe bright morning sun. A north-facing window would also be a good choice for a peacelily.
• Keep peace lilies out of areas where they’ll get direct sunlight all day (such as in a south-facing window), as it may dry them out toomuch.

Watering

• How often should you water your peace lily? It’s not the number that matters but the dryness of the soil that counts. Keep the soil lightly moist to the touch but not overly saturated. Peace lilies can tolerate short periods of dry soil, but their leaves will develop brown tips if they don’t have enough water or humidity.
  • Tip: One nice thing about peace lilies is that they will tell you when they’re thirsty: the plant’s leaves start to droop. When the plant starts to look less “perky” than usual, test the soil with your finger. If it feels dry, it’s time to water again. They can be a bit dramatic; don’t panic if they start towilt.
• Peace lilies are sensitive to chemicals commonly found in tap water, such as fluoride, which may cause brown leaf tips. Use filtered, room-temperature water, ifpossible.

Humidity

• Peace lilies enjoy highhumidity. Misting their leaves or placingtheir potatop a moistened tray of gravel can help to increase humidity around theplant.

Fertilizing

• Peace lilies are not heavy feeders, so fertilize only occasionally. To encourage spring and summer growth, fertilize every 6 weeks or so with a balancedhouseplant fertilizer starting in latewinter.

Temperature

• Peace lilies are tropical plants; they do best in temperatures between 65°F and 75°F degrees (18 to 23°C) during the day and about 10°cooler atnight.
• Keep these plants away from thefurnace or a drafty window ordoor.

Other Peace Lily CareTips

• The large leaves of peace lilies tend to collect a lot of dust in the home. Gently wipe them down with a wet paper towel occasionally; a thick layer of dust can inhibitphotosynthesis.

How to Get Peace Lilies toFlower

• Most often, if no flowers appear, the plant is not getting enough light.Peace lilies are very tolerant of low light, but “low light” doesn’t mean no light! To encourage flowering, move the plant to a brighter location, where it will receive bright, indirect light for at least a few hours eachday.
• Green flowers, weak-looking flowers, or a general lack of flowers can also be caused by improper fertilizing. In the case of green flowers, cut back on fertilizing, as the plant may be getting too much nitrogen. In the case of weak-looking flowers or a lack of flowers, try switching to a fertilizer made for flowering plants. This type of fertilizer will have a higher amount of phosphorous, which plants need forblooming.

Specialty varieties of peace lilies are not very easy to come by in most garden centers, though they have been growing in popularity. You may have more success ordering themfrom an onlinesource.

• Spathiphyllumwallisiiis asmaller peace lily, reaching only 12 inchestall.
• ‘Petite’ is smaller still, at approximately 8–10inches.
• ‘Sensation’ is the largest variety available, capable of growingupto 4–6 feet in height andwidth.
• ‘Domino’, is a medium-size varietywith attractivelyvariegatedleaves.
• ‘Mojo Lime’, which has lime-green foliage, is another medium-size peacelily.

Catherine Boeckmann