Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum Wallisii): Plant Care Guide

The Peace Lily will proudly take up residence in your home, brightening up even the most discerning spaces with its rich emerald, folding leaves. One of its key attributes? It purifies the air and can grow to heights of 40-60cm.

This low-maintenance shrub, native to America, loves indirect, bright light and humid, warm surroundings. If you spot its leaves bending down in objection, this is a sure-fire sign your plant is thirsty! One of the best places to put this plant is in your bathroom, provided that it has bright light.

Where does the name 'peace lily' come from?

The name of this plant is symbolic of its delicate white blooms, which look a little like white flags, which are also a symbol of peace. Despite its name, the Peace lily isn't actually a lily but is an arum, and it stems from the same family as Zantedeschia, Lords, and ladies (Arum maculatum), Dumb Cane (Dieffenbachia), and the Swiss cheese plant (Monstera).

Care needs

In the months of spring and summer, it is a good idea to invest in liquid plant food and feed your Peace lily every fortnight.

When necessary, repot your peace lily, opting for a pot that is slightly larger, using fresh compost. This tends to be required every few years. Peace lilies can thrive when their roots are a little restricted, but constant wilting, especially if you're watering your plant regularly, is a sign the plant has outgrown its existing pot.

To ensure they thrive, prune any spent blooms and wipe or dust down the leaves on a regular basis to promote a high level of photosynthesis. If placing these plants in a dry room, mist around the leaves every now and again to increase humidity.

One point to note? If eaten, the leaves of a peace lily can cause the tongue to swell, or in severe cases can cause vomiting.

Pests and problem-solving

• To avoid fungus gnats, water less often.
• If you spot yellow leaves on your peace lily, simply remove them to encourage new growth.
• If you spot brown leaves on your peace lily, move your plant to a new location as this is a sign it is getting too much sunlight.

How to plant

To help a Peace lily thrive, pick a pot that is less than a third larger than your plant's root ball. Fill the vessel with either a house plant compost or peat-free multi-purpose compost. This should take up two-thirds of the pot. The next step requires you to plant your Peace lily, adding more compost if needed around the root ball. Water your plant well and allow it to drain.

Watering needs

It is important to water your Peace lily on a regular basis. For best results, never let the compost dry out, but at the same time, don't allow the soil to become waterlogged.

Touching the top few centimeters of the soil to see if it's dry is a great way to determine whether your Peace lily needs watering again. Another sign your Peace lily needs more water? When dehydrated it will wilt.

Lighting requirements

hese plants are extremely easy to grow, provided that you care for them in the correct manner and place them in a bright location, away from direct sunlight and draughts. These blooms can even tolerate fluorescent light, increasing the number of places in the home where they can be kept.

Yellow leaves are a sign that a Peace lily has too much light, while scorched leaves tend to turn brown.