Spathiphyllum, the peace lily, is one of the most popular houseplants: glossy dark green leaves, white sail-like flowers and an easy-going nature. Yet even it can droop, brown at the tips or stubbornly refuse to bloom. Here’s how to care for a peace lily at home, what to feed it, when to repot, why it won’t flower, yellows or dries out, and how to revive it. More plants with names and tips in our houseplant catalogue.
Spathiphyllum belongs to the arum family and comes from the rainforests of Central and South America, where it grows in shade on moist riverbanks, which is why it does well indoors.
The white “petal” is actually a spathe around a spadix of tiny flowers; it turns green with age, which is normal.
Popular varieties include the compact Chopin, large Sensation with leaves up to 1 m, and variegated Domino with white streaks.
The nickname “women’s happiness” comes from the belief that it brings love to single women and harmony to families; its “partner” is the anthurium, “men’s happiness”.
Light: bright and indirect, ideally an east or north window. Direct sun scorches the leaves; in deep shade it survives but won’t flower.
Temperature: +18…+25 °C, not below +15 °C in winter; keep away from draughts and radiators.
Watering: when the top 1–2 cm of soil is dry, with settled room-temperature water; empty the saucer. More in how to water houseplants.
Humidity: it loves moist air, so mist the leaves or stand the pot on a tray of wet pebbles, especially when the heating is on. Because its soil stays moist, a peace lily often gets fungus gnats; see fungus gnats in pots.
How to feed a peace lily
From March to September, feed every 2 weeks with a liquid fertiliser for flowering houseplants at half strength.
In winter, feed monthly or not at all if the plant is resting.
Only feed moist soil to avoid burning the roots.
Repotting and propagation
Repot in spring once roots fill the pot, about every 1–2 years, into a pot just 1–2 cm wider; in an oversized pot it grows roots instead of flowers.
Use loose, slightly acidic soil: general compost with bark, perlite and peat, plus drainage.
Propagate by dividing the clump when repotting; each section needs 2–3 crowns and healthy roots. See how to repot a houseplant.
Why a peace lily won’t flower
The pot is too big, so it fills it with roots first.
Too little light: move it closer to a window with indirect light.
No feeding or too much nitrogen: use a fertiliser for flowering plants.
It’s too young; peace lilies usually start flowering at 1–2 years.
Tip: a cooler winter at +16…+18 °C with moderate watering often triggers spring flowering.
If leaves droop and the soil is dry, soak the pot in water for 20–30 minutes, drain and keep it in shade.
If the soil is wet and leaves wilt and blacken, it’s root rot: remove the plant, trim dark soft roots, dust cuts with charcoal and repot in fresh soil.
Cut damaged leaves at the base; new ones will grow from the centre.
Is the peace lily toxic?
It contains calcium oxalate crystals; if a cat or dog chews the leaves, mouth irritation and drooling can follow.
Keep it away from pets and small children.
It featured in NASA’s famous clean-air study, but whether houseplants really clean the air in a flat is another matter; see do houseplants purify the air.
Flowering houseplants as gifts
Looking for a plant that blooms for months with easy care? A phalaenopsis orchid is a great alternative to a bouquet.
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
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