How not to kill your Peace Lily

Whether you're a newbie on the plant parenting scene or a well-weathered veteran, the Peace Lily is a mainstay in most green gangs.

The Peace Lily, also known as the Spathiphyllum, is one of the most popular plants to grow indoors and is often one of the first plants someone will acquire, and for good reason. They're certainly a looker, with big, lush, shiny leaves and elegant white flowers, and their easy-going (and easy-growing) nature and make them an attractive addition to your plant collection. They also filter toxins from the air, so they truly are one of the MVPs of the houseplant world.

So, you've got yourself a Peace Lily, how are you gonna show it some love?

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Unlike many plants, peace lilies will thrive in low-light areas. You can place them 5-8 feet from a window and they’ll do just fine. If you place them in direct sunlight for long periods of time, the leaves will yellow, die, and fall off.

Also important - don’t place them in a draughty area as they do not like it.

FEELING THIRSTY?

Try to keep your soil evenly moist but not soggy. Peace Lily plants have delicate root systems and standing water will quickly wreak havoc. In fact, the most common reason that people kill their peace lilies is because they over-water them. Watering once a week is plenty for this plant during warmer months, and every 2-3 weeks when it's cooled and the plant isn't producing blooms.

If you're unsure, stick your finger in the top couple of centimetres of soil. If it's dry, water it, if it's damp, don't! Peace Lily leaves will also droop quite quickly if they're thirsty, so that's a good thing to look out for.

TROUBLESHOOTING

• Yellowing leaves: old Peace Lily leaves do naturally go yellow when they've had their time, so simply remove them to make room for fresh leaf growth. If you've got younger leaves yellowing, this is likely a sign of overwatering. You can snip these leaves out and reduce your watering regime to fix this.
• Browning leaves: Too bright! It's likely that your plant is getting too much direct sunlight, so move the plant to somewhere more shaded. It can also be a sign of nutrient burn. If you are using plant food or have recently re-potted your plant then it might be finding things a bit stressful. Stop using plant food for a while, and snip out any brown leaves if you want to.
• No flowers: More light please! Avoid direct sunlight, but see if you can find a slightly brighter spot for more blooms. If you live somewhere like the UK where it's a bit darker in the winter it's likely that you won't get flowers in these months too, so don't panic if you're flowerless in February.
• Pests: moist soil can leave you prone to fungus gnats. Whilst a mild bout is unlikely to harm your plant, they are bloody annoying. There's a few ways to tackle them - read our post dedicated to it!

Not got on the Peace Lily hype yet? Get on it here!