Indoor Plant Guide: How to Grow the Peace Lily
Gorgeous white spathe-shaped blooms and handsome dark green leaves make the peace lily a big hit as an indoor plant
Peace lilies are vibrant and beautiful, with lush evergreen leaves that brighten any room with life. What is lesser known is that it has about 40 closely related siblings, native over the Americas and Southeast Asia. Peace lilies are actually not true lilies but belong to the Araceae family, which is popular for another indoor plant, the money-plant (Epipremnum aureum).
What makes peace lilies ideal indoor plants is they do not require large amounts of light or water to survive.
What makes peace lilies ideal indoor plants is they do not require large amounts of light or water to survive.
Size
Depending on the pot size (they grow larger in bigger pots), the peace lily plant may reach anywhere from 1 to 3 feet tall and as wide.
Have a big garden and need help plan it? Consult with a landscape architect
Depending on the pot size (they grow larger in bigger pots), the peace lily plant may reach anywhere from 1 to 3 feet tall and as wide.
Have a big garden and need help plan it? Consult with a landscape architect
Signature traits
Peace lilies are sturdy plants with glossy, dark green oval leaves that narrow to a point. The plant is named for its flamboyant white blooms, which resemble flags of peace. Happy peace lilies blossom constantly, producing bloom after bloom. Even without the flowers, they make beautiful foliage plants to have indoors.
Peace lilies are sturdy plants with glossy, dark green oval leaves that narrow to a point. The plant is named for its flamboyant white blooms, which resemble flags of peace. Happy peace lilies blossom constantly, producing bloom after bloom. Even without the flowers, they make beautiful foliage plants to have indoors.
Where is it best positioned
The peace lily looks best as a floor plant, growing up to about 3 feet tall and wide with big, bold leaves about 10 inches long. They can be placed in pots in corners of rooms, next to end tables, or even as centrepieces on tables.
Be inspired by these beautifully designed gardens
The peace lily looks best as a floor plant, growing up to about 3 feet tall and wide with big, bold leaves about 10 inches long. They can be placed in pots in corners of rooms, next to end tables, or even as centrepieces on tables.
Be inspired by these beautifully designed gardens
How much light is right
Like many popular indoor plants, peace lilies enjoy medium to low light. North-facing windows tend to be the best locations for peace lilies, providing the right mix of light. Select the light conditions based on what you want your peace lily plant to look like. Peace lilies that are placed in more light tend to produce the lovely white spathes and flowers more, while those in low light will bloom less and will look more like a traditional foliage plant.
Tip: Your peace lily will tell you if it’s getting too much light: Yellow leaves indicate too much light, while brown streaks are a sign of scorching from direct sunlight.
Like many popular indoor plants, peace lilies enjoy medium to low light. North-facing windows tend to be the best locations for peace lilies, providing the right mix of light. Select the light conditions based on what you want your peace lily plant to look like. Peace lilies that are placed in more light tend to produce the lovely white spathes and flowers more, while those in low light will bloom less and will look more like a traditional foliage plant.
Tip: Your peace lily will tell you if it’s getting too much light: Yellow leaves indicate too much light, while brown streaks are a sign of scorching from direct sunlight.
How much to water
No need to water peace lilies on a schedule. Check them once a week to see if they need to be watered. Simply touch the top of the soil to see if it is dry. If it is, water your peace lily. If the soil is still damp, the plant does not need to be watered. Peace lilies are far more tolerant of under-watering than over-watering, which is one of the most common reasons for a peace lily to die.
No need to water peace lilies on a schedule. Check them once a week to see if they need to be watered. Simply touch the top of the soil to see if it is dry. If it is, water your peace lily. If the soil is still damp, the plant does not need to be watered. Peace lilies are far more tolerant of under-watering than over-watering, which is one of the most common reasons for a peace lily to die.
Cleaning
The big wide leaves on peace lilies tend to be a dust magnet. Be sure to either wash the leaves or wipe them down with a damp cloth at least once a year. This will help it process sunlight better. Washing the plant can be done by either putting it in the bathroom and giving it a short shower or by placing it in a sink and letting the tap run over the leaves.
The big wide leaves on peace lilies tend to be a dust magnet. Be sure to either wash the leaves or wipe them down with a damp cloth at least once a year. This will help it process sunlight better. Washing the plant can be done by either putting it in the bathroom and giving it a short shower or by placing it in a sink and letting the tap run over the leaves.
How to repot or multiply
The plant produces offsets at the base and in time becomes a dense clump. Once roots begin to show above the soil, it’s time to re-pot your peace lily. This usually occurs about every year or two. Re-pot into a container that is about two inches bigger in diameter than the current pot.
Re-potting is also a good time to divide your plant. Crowns (areas where clusters of about two new leaves are growing), are a good place to divide your plant. Use soil from the old pot for the new plant so that it isn’t shocked. For smaller transplants, don’t use a pot that’s too big. Cosy roots encourage blooms.
The plant produces offsets at the base and in time becomes a dense clump. Once roots begin to show above the soil, it’s time to re-pot your peace lily. This usually occurs about every year or two. Re-pot into a container that is about two inches bigger in diameter than the current pot.
Re-potting is also a good time to divide your plant. Crowns (areas where clusters of about two new leaves are growing), are a good place to divide your plant. Use soil from the old pot for the new plant so that it isn’t shocked. For smaller transplants, don’t use a pot that’s too big. Cosy roots encourage blooms.
That’s interesting
In reality, the showy part of the flower is a white, hood-like sheath (called a spathe) attached to a spike of tiny flowers. The spathe fades to green as it ages.
The NASA clean air study has found that the peace lily cleans indoor air of certain environmental contaminants, including benzene and formaldehyde.
Read more:
6 Must-Grow Plants in Your Kitchen Garden
How to Grow a Recipe-Garden
Tell us:
Have you tried growing this plant? Share your experience and tips with us in Comments.
In reality, the showy part of the flower is a white, hood-like sheath (called a spathe) attached to a spike of tiny flowers. The spathe fades to green as it ages.
The NASA clean air study has found that the peace lily cleans indoor air of certain environmental contaminants, including benzene and formaldehyde.
Read more:
6 Must-Grow Plants in Your Kitchen Garden
How to Grow a Recipe-Garden
Tell us:
Have you tried growing this plant? Share your experience and tips with us in Comments.
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum wallisii
Common name: Peace lily, cobra plant
Origin: Central and South America
Plant type: It is a clump-growing evergreen herbaceous perennial which produces white flowers that look like the hood of a cobra, giving it the common name, cobra plant.