The Care of Peace Lilies

Overview

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum spp.) is an easy-care houseplant which grows deep-green glossy upright leaves and thrives in low to moderate light. Peace lily blooms are similar to the calla lily, with a yellow, knobby spath and a single showy white spadix, which the University of Arkansas Extension Service posits resembles a flag of truce, thus providing the origin for the plant's name. Peace lilies require warm household conditions, indirect light, well-drained potting soil and modest fertilization.

Step 1

Plant your peace lily in a pot only slightly larger than its root mass. Fill the pot halfway with soil-less potting medium, place the peace lily root mass in the pot, and fill to the top with additional medium. Water the pot thoroughly with rainwater or well water, let it drain, then place a saucer under the pot.

Step 2

Place the potted peace lily in a warm location which receives bright but indirect sunlight. Do not let the plant stand in direct sunlight, which will burn the leaves.

Step 3

Water the plant with rainwater or well water frequently enough to keep the soil moist. Spray the plant daily with a plant mister to maintain surrounding humidity.

Step 4

Once a month, include water-soluble houseplant fertilizer, in proportions recommended by the manufacturer, in the water for your peace lily.

Step 5

Deadhead peace lily blooms by breaking or cutting the flower stems back to their base as the flowers pass their prime. Re-pot the peace lily to a larger pot only when the roots seem choked in the pot or it becomes hard to keep the plant adequately watered.