Peace Lily Care: Light, Water and Blooms
Peace lilies tolerate dim rooms, tell you clearly when they are thirsty by drooping, and reward you with white blooms. Their main weaknesses are overwatering and a dark corner. This guide covers how to read the plant, how to get it to flower and how to divide it.
Light
Low to bright indirect light. It survives dim rooms, but it flowers best in bright, indirect light. Keep direct sun off the leaves.
Water
Water when the top of the soil dries. It droops when dry and recovers within hours of a thorough watering. Never let the pot stand in water.
Soil and pot
A rich, well-draining potting mix in a pot with a drainage hole. Repot when the roots fill the container, moving up one size at a time.
Temperature and humidity
Average room temperatures. For more flowers, cool winter temperatures of 60 to 65°F followed by 70 to 75°F in the growing season help. A humidifier helps in winter.
How to get a peace lily to flower
Blooms depend on enough brightness, so a plant that has stopped flowering is often in too dim a spot. Give it bright, indirect light, a cooler winter period and warmer growing-season temperatures. Feed monthly at half strength in spring and summer, and stop in fall and winter.
Dividing a peace lily
When the plant is crowded, tip it out of the pot and separate the root ball into sections, each with roots and stems. Replant each section in fresh mix and keep the new plants in bright, indirect light until they settle in.
Common problems
Usually too much water or a pot without drainage. Check the soil and roots.
Usually not enough light.
Wipe with a damp cloth every few weeks. Clean leaves catch more light.
Peace lilies at Palma
We grow the variegated 'Domino', 'Jessica' and 'Platinum Mist'. The variegated types need a little more light than plain green peace lilies to keep their markings.
