Skip to main content

Plant of the Week: Spathiphyllus, AKA peace lilies

The most crucial part of getting a new plant is ensuring that you know how to provide it with the environment it needs to thrive. But, of course, not every plant requires the same care, and although we would consider the peace lily a beginner-friendly plant, it needs more attention than more common houseplants. So let’s dive into what a peace lily is and how to care for it.

peace lily in bloom

What is a peace lily?

The peace lily, or spathiphyllum, is a tropical evergreen native to Central America and Southeast Asia. Although their nickname includes lily, it isn’t a true lily. This part of the nickname comes from their blooms looking like a calla lily. The second part of the nickname is in reference to “the white flag of peace.” These flag-like blooms happen more often when the plant is exposed to a bit of direct sunlight.

The plant can grow up to 16 inches tall when grown indoors, but you can move the plant outside during the summer months. Just remember to bring it back in when winter rolls around.

How to care for a peace lilies

Avoid feeling nervous when you bring your new spathiphyllus home and check out these care tips you can use to provide your peace lily with the best care possible.

Water

The peace lily should be kept moist but never soggy or dry. It’s a pretty drought-tolerant plant and will droop its leaves to let you know it’s getting dry and needs a drink. If the plant experiences excessive dryness, the tips of the leaves will brown.

Light

These are shade-loving plants, and in their natural habitat, they grow on the dark forest floor. To mimic this lighting, place the plant in a spot where it will get medium to bright indirect light. The leaves will burn with direct sunlight, but a mild amount of direct sunlight can encourage your plant to bloom those iconic “white flag” flowers.

Food

Feed your peace lily with balanced indoor plant fertilizer. Apply it during the spring and summer but hold off during those colder winter months when the plant is likely not doing much growing.

peace lily on plant stand

Temperature

Temperatures ranging between 60 and 80 degrees are excellent for this plant. However, dramatic changes in the temperature around the plant will damage or even kill it. So avoid putting a peace lily near a vent, drafty windows, and doors.

Humidity

Since this plant is a tropical plant, it will prefer ample amounts of humidity, but it can survive in our homes’ average humidity levels. However, if you want this plant to thrive and live its best life, we recommend putting it by a humidifier or maybe in a bathroom where humidity levels tend to be higher.

Toxicity

The peace lily is considered toxic to both humans and animals, so be sure to put it in a location where smaller humans and furry babies cant reach them. Symptoms that you’ll see if this plant is ingested are extreme drooling, vomiting, or trouble swallowing. In addition, it’s recommended that humans wear gloves when cutting or working with the plant to avoid the sap touching their skin and causing irritation.

Additional care

The most common issue with peace lilies is sudden droopy leaves. While these can be alarming at first, it’s simply the plant telling you that it needs water. You don’t want the leaves to drop every time they need water, so it’s best to water the plant before the leaves droop.

The second most common issue is yellowing leaves. Yellow leaves mean the opposite problem of drooping leaves. It means your plant has been overwatered and is likely suffering from root rot or will be pretty soon. When you see yellow leaves, don’t water the plant until the soil is on the dryer side. We recommend investing in a moisture meter to avoid these often devastating symptoms. This tool will allow you to accurately measure the amount of water in the soil and correctly inform you when you should be watering the plant.

This elegant plant is a joy to grow indoors, and we’re sure you’ll love having it in your collection. Be sure to keep the soil moist and avoid a lot of direct sunlight, and your peace lily will be a happy plant!

Editors' Recommendations

Rebecca Wolken
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Rebecca's has written for Bob Villa and a Cincinnati based remodeling company. When she's not writing about home remodeling…
Stunning Monstera plants that you should add to your indoor plant collection
From the common deliciosa to the coveted Thai Constellation, here are the best Monsteras out there
Monsteras in planters

If you’re thinking of a Monstera plant, you’re likely visualizing the striking Monstera deliciosa with its showstopping, heart-shaped leaves and gorgeous holes. But the Monstera deliciosa isn’t the only Monstera plant out there.

This diverse aroid genus actually contains about 50 different species, so you can definitely collect a wide variety of Monstera houseplants for green tropical vibes year-round. To introduce you to the gorgeous world of Monstera plants, we’ve rounded up some of the most sought-after cultivars below.

Read more
Stunning jade plant types to add to your succulent collection
Whether you love a variegated or golden one, here are the most striking jade plants out there
Jade plants

With minimal care, jade plants can be one of the most long-lasting, stunning fixtures in a drought-tolerant outdoor garden. They require little care, as they can thrive without needing too much water or fertilizer — you just have to make sure to give them sufficient light and well-draining cactus soil.

The most common variety is the money plant, or Crassula ovata, but there are actually roughly 300 species of Crassula plants, including many cultivars of Crassula ovata. Whether you’re growing your jade plants indoors or outdoors, it’s helpful to get a feel of what varieties are out there to build your collection to your liking. To help you find just the right jade plant types for your home, we’ve rounded up the most striking kinds available.

Read more
Beyond basil and cilantro, add these unique plants to your indoor herb garden
Easy-to-find herbs that are unique and low maintenance
Lemongrass bundle

Look up spring indoor herb garden essentials, and you'll usually find the basics: parsley, basil, and cilantro. While you can't go wrong with these cooking staples, you can boost your go-to recipes with more unique indoor herbs. From Vietnamese coriander to winter savory, we've compiled a range of easy-to-grow kitchen herbs that will lend your cooking more intricate flavors. In most cases, all it takes is a quick search online to track down seeds or seedlings — you may even find these herbs at your local farmers market or nursery.

Vietnamese coriander (rau ram)
Vietnamese coriander, or rau ram, features inky, flat leaves that tend to grow quite quickly. It features a stronger taste than cilantro, flavoring foods like rice rolls, soups, and noodles with its lemony and peppery notes. With Vietnamese coriander, a single plant can go a long way, as it's a perennial with an aggressive growing habit.

Read more