Spathiphyllum – Peace Lily Plant

A Peace Lily is a beautiful, indoor houseplant that grows between 30- 120 cm tall. It has large, glossy, oval, dark green leaves. The leaves do not develop on stems but come directly out of the soil. What we think of as the “white flowers” are really modified leaves called spathes that surround the real, inconsequential flowers. The “flowers” start out as light green and, as they mature, turn white. These tall, impressive white “spathes” (flowers) last for several weeks.

Spathiphyllum wallisii is a member of the Araceae family.

Even when the plant is not in bloom the fresh green pointed leaves make a really attractive foliage plant.

The plant will flower for 4-10 weeks followed by a short dormant period necessary for developing new buds.

Temperature : Best temperature for a Peace Lily: 18.3°-29.4°C.

Lighting preference : These plants grow slowly in low light and more quickly in medium, or indirect bright light. Too much light causes the leaves of a Peace Lily to fade and lose their vibrant, dark green color. Too little light and flowers do not develop. Direct sunlight burns the leaves.

 Irrigation of water : Allow the top 50% of the soil to dry out before watering. If the leaves severely droop, yellow leaves develop once a Peace Lily is watered. Leaves turn a blackish brown from over- watering. Too much water, resulting in root rot, is the main reason a Peace Lily dies.

 Humidity : High humidity is a plus but not a necessity.

Fertilization and feeding :Feed every other month when the plant is actively growing with a balanced plant food diluted to 1/2 the recommended strength. Too much fertilizer burns the leaf tips of a Peace lily.

 Flowering : A Peace Lily produces modified, white, hooded leaves called “spathes” that are called the flowers. The “flowers” develops the top of tall, slender stems. The plant needs bright, indirect light to flower.

 Soil : Use a rich well-aerated potting soil that contains a good amount of peat or other organic material.

Toxicity : A Peace Lily is a poisonous plant and dangerous to have near cats, dogs, and small children. These plants have a #2 Toxicity level.

 Pot Size : Do not move the plant to the next size container until the roots have almost filled the existing pot. Keeping a Peace Lily a bit root- bound helps it to flower and prevents root rot due to over watering.

Pruning :Once the flowers fade, cut off the flower and its stem at the soil line. Every flower has it’s own stem and will not re-bloom. Pruning the flowers and stems helps the plant look better and encourages more flowers. Remove brown or yellow leaves at the base of their stem also. You can trim the brown or yellow tips on the leaves of a Peace Lily using a sharp, wet scissors; however, this rarely prevents the discoloration from spreading throughout the remaining portion of the leaf.

Diseases :Since these plants prefer a humid environment, leaf spot, and other bacterial and fungal plant diseases can be a problem. Keeping the leaves dry, providing good air circulation around the plant, and avoiding overly wet soil helps prevent plant diseases.

 Air Purification : NASA recommends a Peace Lily as an excellent plant to clean the air of harmful chemicals.