How to Care for a Peace Lily Plant
Learn how to care for a peace lily, one of the most popular indoor plants. These beautiful houseplants are fairly easy to grow, but knowing how often to water peace lilies and what to do if their leaves droop or turn yellow is essential. Plus, find tips on how to repot your peace lily to keep it happy!
About Peace Lilies
Peace lilies are not true lilies. They are tropical, evergreen plants in the Arum family, native to tropical Central and South America. These plants thrive on the forest floor, receiving dappled sunlight and consistent moisture and humidity. Replicating these conditions in the home is the key to keeping your peace lily happy and healthy.
With enough light, peace lilies produce white to off-white flowers starting in the early summer and continue to bloom throughout the year in the right conditions.
Most household varieties of peace lily grow up to 16 inches tall, but larger outdoor cultivars can have leaves up to 6 feet tall. Peace lilies are not cold-hardy, so they can only be grown outdoors in warm, humid climates (USDA Zones 10, 11).
Is the Peace Lily Toxic to Cats and Dogs?
Yes, peace lilies are mildly toxic. All parts of the peace lily plant contain calcium oxalate, which may cause stomach and respiratory irritation if ingested in large amounts. Keep peace lilies out of reach of small children and pets who might chew on the plant. Common plants containing calcium oxalate also include philodendrons, daffodils, true lilies, and hyacinths.
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Lighting
- Place peace lilies in indirect but bright sunlight. An east-facing window is perfect, as the plant will be exposed to the bright morning sun. A north-facing window would also be a good choice for a peace lily.
- 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 too much.
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 start to 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 to wilt.
- 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, if possible.
Humidity
- Peace lilies enjoy high humidity. Misting their leaves or placing their pot atop a moistened tray of gravel can help to increase humidity around the plant.
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 balanced houseplant fertilizer starting in late winter.
Temperature
- Peace lilies are a 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 at night.
- Keep these plants away from the furnace or a drafty window or door.
Other Care
- 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 inhibit photosynthesis.
How to Get Peace Lilies to Flower
- 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 each day.
- 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 for blooming.
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- The peace lily is said to have gotten its common name from its white flowers, which rise timidly above its green foliage and resemble white flags of peace.
- Despite the peace lily’s common name, it is not related to true lilies at all.
- The plant’s attractive blooms are also the source of its Latin name, Spathiphyllum, meaning “spathe-leaf.” The flowers consist of the spathe (the white, sheath-like leaf) and the spadix (the spike of small flowers located within the spathe).
- Peace lilies are poisonous to dogs. Learn more about houseplants that are toxic to your pets.
Photo by W. Carter/Wikimedia
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I had really bad itchy eyes and nasal congestion. As soon as we removed our peace lilies from our bedroom, my allergies were gone. So no more peace lilies in our home...thank God.
This is a very strange question! I love the foliage of peace lily, but the flowers creep me out! Would it hurt the plant if I just cut off the flowers as they form?
Hi Lisa,
Removing your peace lily flower stalk before the flower blooms should not hurt your plant. You want to remove the stalk as close to the base of the plant as possible, which is the process you take after blooms are spent. One thing to know is that when you deadhead you peace lily it will put energy into creating more flowers so you will just need to be mindful that more flower stalks and blooms may appear.
One of the lilies left has turned brown & the stem is turning yellow it’s not green anymore. What can I do to save it?
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Hi Katina,
Unfortunately, once the flower has turned brown it will soon die and need to be removed. Depending on how long the flower has been in bloom, this change might just represent the end for that specific bloom or it could be a sign of a deeper issue as it relates to its care. While easy to grow, peace lilies thrive when it is watered correctly and the humidity level is consistent. Other issues could stem from too much or too little light, temperature fluctuations, or over fertilization.
I have just separated a portion of a Peace Lily from my mothers passing 10 years ago. After two months the leaves are droopy but alive. Plant seems to be taking but not looking real good. Any suggestions?
Paul-
It sounds like your plant may be in shock. Give it time to adjust to its new surroundings and continue to care for it as outlined in the article. Peace lilies tend to be a bit dramatic, but they are hardy plants!
My peace lily is exploding pollen that is covering the leaves and prevents the flowers from blooming properly. It is a sugary sticky white dusting. What is this and how can I stop it?
Hi Missy,
Depending on the amount of pollen that is on the leaves, it might be enough to where it is inhibiting your plant’s photosynthesis. You can give your peace lily a good shake to remove as much pollen as possible. There’s a good chance that more pollen will collect on the leaves so you can also wipe down the leaves as needed to remove it. You can also remove the pollen-containing spadix to avoid more pollen from releasing.
There’s also a chance that your plant could have an underlying issue, i.e. not getting the right kind of light or the proper temperature range. Also keep an eye out for any white powder that remains after all the flowers have bloomed because this could be a sign of powdery mildew.
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