How to care for peace lily

Watering is arguably the most important aspect in a peace lily's care regime. Only rehydrate the soil once the top third has dried out – check if the soil is dry by feeling the compost on top, and if small soil flakes stick to your finger there's no need to water just yet. The frequency of watering shouldn't change throughout the year as they generally don't go into a state of dormancy.

Light and location

Peace lilies thrive in bright but indirect sunlight, so near a north, north–east or north–west facing window is ideal – small plants work well on a window sill. They don't do well on shelves unless the light source is directly above them (for example beneath a skylight).

Over time, dust will accumulate on the leaves so wipe these as needed to ensure the leaves photosynthesise properly. This will also improve the look of your peace lily.

Soil and fertilisers

Soil: the best soil for repotting a peace lily is either a generic, peat-free 'house plant' labelled potting mix, or a more expensive (but generally better) 'peace lily' labelled compost.

Fertiliser: peace lilies respond well to regular feeds. Use a 'house plant' labelled fertiliser every third watering, all year round. Foliar spray feeds can help increase the likelihood of repeat flowering by applying them fortnightly.

Temperature and humidity

Typical temperatures in our homes (15–25℃) are perfect for peace lilies. Never expose them to temperatures lower than this as the risk of leaf damage and root rot is high. In a dry room you can increase humidity by sitting your peace lily on a tray of pebbles and water, ensuring the water sits just below the pebbles so it doesn't wick up into the compost and cause root rot.

Pruning

With a clean pair of scissors, prune away any brown leaves or spent flowers to improve its appearance. If leaves are yellow, it's best to keep them until they turn brown as the plant will be able to draw nutrients from them.

Staking

It's not necessary to stake a peace lily. If the leaves are constantly drooping or leaning outwards (as if someone has sat in the middle of it), this could be caused by root rot. If all of its leaves are leaning towards the light of a window, simply rotate the plant 180 degrees to ‘straighten’ it up again.

How to repot a peace lily

Your peace lily will do best when pot bound, so don’t be tempted to disturb it too often. When you do come around to repotting it, make sure you treat the root system with the utmost care as it’s easy to cause transplant shock. Symptoms of this include wilting or yellowed leaves within a few days of repotting.

1. Water the soil around twelve hours before you repot it to reduce the risk of transplant shock.
2. Choose a pot that’s only a few centimetres wider than the original, and add 4cm of fresh, peat-free 'house plant’ or 'peace lily' labelled potting mix.
4. Place the rootball on top of the compost, before filling the gaps around it with further compost. Tap the side of the pot several times to remove any air pockets.
5. Finally, give the plant a thorough soak until the water drains out of the drainage holes. Move back to its original location to minimise shock.

How to propagate a peace lily

The main way to propagate your peace lily is through dividing the offsets in spring. You must be extremely careful with the root system, as any disturbance could cause transplant shock, which will result in the plant wilting, even after watering. Division is best done with lilies older than two years.

1. Water the soil around 12 hours before dividing the rootball.
2. Take the plant out of its pot and find the offsets – they look like smaller versions of the parent plant.
3. With a clean sharp knife, cut the offsets away from the parent plant until you hear a 'snap'.
4. Then gently tease the offsets' roots from the main rootball and pot them up individually into 10cm pots filled with peat-free, house plant compost.
5. Keep the parent plant in its original pot for another year. Fill any gaps created by the division with fresh compost and continue to care for the plant in the same way as you did before. The offsets can be cared for in the same way as the parent.

Common issues (how to diagnose problems)

Yellowing older leaves are a common sight with peace lilies, but this doesn't mean the plant is unwell if there's only the odd leaf (at a rate of one per month, or slower). For lilies that have more than a third of the leaves turning yellow, try having a look at the root system for any signs of rot. A dying root system will be brown or mushy, and a root strand can be easily pulled from the soil with no difficulty.

A lack of flowers can be down to the location not being right (a lack of natural dappled light or incorrect temperatures) and can easily be fixed. An application of fertiliser every third water will also increase its chances of flowering.

Brown leaf tips can occur as the leaf naturally matures. In some cases, prolonged dehydration (in the soil or atmosphere via low humidity) can speed the process of leaf tips browning over.

Curling or drooping leaves may be caused by too much heat or sunlight exposure, transplant shock or root rot. Make sure your peace lily is growing in a spot with average room temperatures, not too close to a south-facing window and is not sitting in water. If you suspect your peace lily has transplant shock, continue watering only when the top third of the compost has dried out, and it should perk back up eventually.

Toxicity

Unfortunately, peace lily is classified poisonous when ingested by humans and pets.

Peace lily varieties to grow

Spathiphyllum 'Chopin' – the traditional, most common peace lily you can find in a garden centre. H x S: 50cm x 50m
Spathiphyllum 'Pearl Cupido' – a medium sized variety that boasts bold, dark green leaves. H x S: 1m x 80cm
Spathiphyllum 'Diamond' – the new kid on the block, sporting white variegations as if someone has flicked paint on the leaves. H x S: 80cm x 0.5m
Spathiphyllum 'Sensation' – the largest variety of peace lily currently grown in nurseries. This plant is best suited for large rooms with big windows. H x S: 1.3m x 1m

Frequently asked questions

Where should I put my peace lily in my house?

Peace lilies do best within 1m of a north, north–east or north–west facing window, preferably on a windowsill. Make sure this area doesn't receive more than two hours of direct sunlight as sun scorch is common.

What are the disadvantages of peace lilies?

Two downsides of owning a peace lily is that it can develop root rot quite easily, especially when grown in locations more than 1m from a window. The other disadvantage is that a peace lily is poisonous when ingested.

How long do peace lilies last?

In terms of flowers, a typical show of blooms can last at least two months. After this period, your peace lily will still grow new leaves and potentially more flowers next spring.

What does an overwatered peace lily look like?

You'll know if your lily is overwatered as the soil smells earthy or has mould growing on the surface. Its leaves will be yellowed and curled/wilted, even when the soil is kept moist.

Should I cut the brown tips off of my peace lily?

Pruning the browned leaf tips will improve the appearance of your peace lily.

How can I get my peace lily to flower again?

For the best chance of your peace lily flowering again, keep it in a bright spot out of direct sunshine. You can also buy foliar feeds to promote flowers, which you mist over the leaves once every two weeks.