How to grow peace lilies

What are peace lilies?

Peace lilies have long been popular as houseplants, being easy to grow and visually spectacular, with elegant white flower-like spathes held above lush clumps of glossy, dark green foliage. These evergreen plants come from tropical forests in Central America and Colombia, so need warmth and indirect or filtered light. They prefer moderate humidity

The concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere. This affects the rate at which plants transpire (lose water from their leaf pores), which in turn affects how much water their roots absorb from the soil. If air humidity is low, plants transpire quickly and become at risk of wilting if water is lost from the leaves faster than it can be absorbed by the roots. Different plants require different levels of humidity to thrive. Many tropical houseplants need high humidity and are best grown in a steamy bathroom, misted regularly or placed on a saucer of damp pebbles. In a greenhouse, humidity can be raised in hot weather by damping down (wetting) the floor or overhead misting.

too, and regular watering through the growing season

The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn.

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Although known as peace lilies, they aren’t related to lilies, but instead belong to the arum family (Araceae) and have the typical arum ‘flower’, comprising a large petal-like spathe, surrounding a spike, or spadix, which holds the tiny true flowers. The spathes resemble white flags, a symbol of peace, which is the origin of the plant’s common name. They are mainly produced in spring and summer, lasting for several months before fading to green. Many other popular houseplants are members of the arum family – see our guide to amazing arums.

Peace lilies have an elegant, calming presence, and provide the added benefit of removing harmful chemicals from the air, so they will improve your living space in many ways.

Watch our quick video guide to growing peace lilies:

Choosing peace lilies

The most widely sold and popular peace lily is Spathiphyllum wallisii. There are also several cultivars available, including:

• ‘Chopin’ – with slender white spathes up to 50cm (20in) tall
• ‘Bellini’ – widely available, and grows to 50cm (20in) in height
• ‘Mauna Loa’ AGM – reaching 90cm (3ft) tall, with large pure white spathes up to 10cm (4in) long
• ‘Variegata’ and ‘Gemini’ – both have irregular white splashes on the foliage, on compact plants only 30cm (1ft) tall
• ‘Sweet Lauretta’ – up to 1m (3⅓ft) tall, with large, wide leaves and lightly scented blooms

Peace lilies are a great houseplant choice, as they not only look good, but have also been proven to remove harmful pollutants from indoor air – find out more in our video guide:

Buying peace lilies

As they’re one of the most popular houseplants, peace lilies are available from most garden centres and other houseplant retailers all year round. For the more unusual species and cultivars, try larger online houseplant stockists.

When buying in person, select healthy-looking plants with plenty of new growth, glossy green leaves and no damage, browning or yellowing. These are tropical plants, so in winter take care to protect them from the cold when taking them home.

Buying: garden centre plants

Buying: mail order plants

Newly purchased peace lilies can usually stay in their original container for at least a year or two before repotting is required. Then in spring, at the beginning of the growing season

The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn.

, check the roots by removing the pot – plants only need repotting when the roots are densely packed.

To repot, select peat-free multi-purpose compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

• Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

and mix in perlite

Perlite is a naturally occurring volcanic rock which, when heated to high temperatures, expands to produce lightweight, micro-porous granules. It was traditionally added to compost to aid drainage and aeration, however, its manufacture, packaging and distribution has a big environmental impact, so locally-sourced grit or gravel is now preferred.

to improve the drainage – ideally at a 3:1 ratio. The new pot should be only a few centimetres larger than the current one, to avoid overpotting. Using a much larger pot can mean the excess compost stays damp for too long, potentially leading to root rot.

Repotting peace lilies is easy – see our simple guides:

How to repot a plant

Peat-free compost choices

Location

Keep peace lilies in bright, indirect light – near a window but not in direct summer sun – to ensure strong growth and flowering. Plants will survive in deeper shade but will rarely flower and will grow very slowly.

Average room temperatures are fine, anywhere between 12–24°C (55–75°F), but keep plants away from hot radiators and cold draughts.

Peace lilies are poisonous, so always position them out of reach of children and pets.

Watch our video guide to choosing the right location for houseplants:

Watering

Water peace lilies throughout the growing season

The period of time when an individual plant is in active growth. This will depend on the local climate and light levels, and can vary between different plants, although it is broadly from spring to autumn.

, from April to October, once the top few centimetres of compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

• Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

have become dry. Reduce watering slightly in winter when growth slows down. The fluoride in tap water can damage the foliage, so use rainwater or filtered water whenever possible.

If the compost dries out very quickly after watering, this may be a sign that your plant is rootbound and in need of a larger pot. Repot it in spring – see Planting, above.

See our watering guides for more advice:

How to water containers

Collecting, storing and reusing water

Water: using softened and other types

Humidity

Peace lilies prefer moderate humidity

The concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere. This affects the rate at which plants transpire (lose water from their leaf pores), which in turn affects how much water their roots absorb from the soil. If air humidity is low, plants transpire quickly and become at risk of wilting if water is lost from the leaves faster than it can be absorbed by the roots. Different plants require different levels of humidity to thrive. Many tropical houseplants need high humidity and are best grown in a steamy bathroom, misted regularly or placed on a saucer of damp pebbles. In a greenhouse, humidity can be raised in hot weather by damping down (wetting) the floor or overhead misting.

– their leaves may start to turn brown if the air is too dry. So stand the pot in a saucer over a tray of damp gravel – the water will slowly evaporate, raising the humidity around the plant. You can also mist the leaves and/or wipe them with a damp cloth regularly. For more tips on increasing humidity for tropical plants.

Feeding

To boost leaf production and flowering, apply a general liquid fertiliser every few weeks throughout the growing season, from April to October.

Simply snip off any fading leaves and spent flowers at the base of the stem. Wear gloves, as the sap

Sap is a fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, in a similar way to blood moving through our veins. Phloem sap carries the sugars produced in the leaves by photosynthesis down to roots and other storage organs, as well as carrying minerals and hormones. Xylem sap is watery and transports nutrients absorbed by the roots upwards to the rest of the plant. Some plants leak sap from wounds or pruning cuts, and this is known as bleeding.

can be a skin irritant.

The easiest way to propagate peace lilies is by dividing a large, established clump in spring. Remove the plant from its pot then cut or pull apart the rootball

The roots and accompanying soil when a plant is removed from a container or lifted from the ground.

to create several smaller plants, each with plenty of roots and several strong stems. Pot them up individually into free-draining peat-free compost

Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

• Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

. Always wear gloves when handling peace lilies, as the sap

Sap is a fluid that circulates through a plant's vascular system, in a similar way to blood moving through our veins. Phloem sap carries the sugars produced in the leaves by photosynthesis down to roots and other storage organs, as well as carrying minerals and hormones. Xylem sap is watery and transports nutrients absorbed by the roots upwards to the rest of the plant. Some plants leak sap from wounds or pruning cuts, and this is known as bleeding.

can irritate skin.

Peace lilies are generally healthy, tolerant and trouble-free, but bear in mind the following:

• Keeping the compost
  

  Can refer to either home-made garden compost or seed/potting compost:

  
  • Garden compost is a soil improver made from decomposed plant waste, usually in a compost bin or heap. It is added to soil to improve its fertility, structure and water-holding capacity. Seed or potting composts are used for growing seedlings or plants in containers - a wide range of commercially produced peat-free composts are available, made from a mix of various ingredients, such as loam, composted bark, coir and sand, although you can mix your own.

  too wet for long periods can result in root rot. Let the top of the compost dry out between waterings, and reduce watering in winter. Overwatering can also cause browning or yellowing leaves
• Lack of water can cause peace lilies to droop alarmingly, but if you water them promptly, they should soon recover with no ill-effects
• Dry air can result in leaves turning brown at the edges – so mist plants regularly and stand the pot in a tray of damp gravel to increase humidity
  

  The concentration of water vapour in the atmosphere. This affects the rate at which plants transpire (lose water from their leaf pores), which in turn affects how much water their roots absorb from the soil. If air humidity is low, plants transpire quickly and become at risk of wilting if water is lost from the leaves faster than it can be absorbed by the roots. Different plants require different levels of humidity to thrive. Many tropical houseplants need high humidity and are best grown in a steamy bathroom, misted regularly or placed on a saucer of damp pebbles. In a greenhouse, humidity can be raised in hot weather by damping down (wetting) the floor or overhead misting.

• Failure to flower is often due to insufficient light – position near a window in bright light, but out of direct summer sun

For more problem-solving tips, see our guides:

How to help a poorly houseplant

Leaf damage on houseplants