How to care for a Peace Lily

The Peace Lily — Spathiphyllum — is a useful plant to own because it makes its feelings extremely clear. When it’s thirsty, it droops noticeably. When it’s happy, it produces those distinctive white flowers. When something’s wrong, it tells you.

This communication, combined with its tolerance for low light and irregular care, makes it one of the better plants for people who don’t yet have a reliable watering routine.

Light

Peace Lilies are one of the few flowering plants that will genuinely do well in low light. They’ll grow in fairly dim spots where most plants would give up entirely.

That said, they flower best in moderate indirect light. A spot a few metres from a window, or near a north-facing window, is ideal. Direct sunlight will scorch the leaves and cause them to yellow.

Watering

Water when the soil is dry about an inch down — or, more practically, when the plant starts to droop slightly. Peace Lilies droop earlier than most plants when thirsty, and they recover quickly once watered. This makes them good teachers for people learning to read plant signals.

Don’t wait until it’s dramatically collapsed before watering — that’s more stress on the plant than it needs. The slight droop is the signal. Water at that point.

In summer, that’s probably once a week. In winter, less. The exact frequency depends on your home, pot size, and light conditions.

Peace Lilies are sensitive to fluoride and chlorine in tap water, which can cause brown tips. Using filtered water or letting tap water sit overnight before using it helps, though it’s not essential if your tap water isn’t particularly heavily treated.

Humidity

Peace Lilies appreciate humidity. They’re originally from tropical rainforests and will do better with some moisture in the air. Keep them away from radiators, mist occasionally, or place on a tray of damp pebbles.

Brown leaf tips are often a sign of dry air rather than anything more serious.

Feeding

Monthly during spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertiliser. If you want to encourage flowering, switch to a fertiliser with a higher phosphorus content in early spring.

Stop feeding in autumn and winter.

Flowering

Peace Lilies typically flower in spring and sometimes again in autumn. The white spathes are striking and last several weeks before fading to green and eventually brown.

Once a flower has faded completely, cut the stem off at the base. This encourages the plant to put energy into producing new flowers rather than sustaining spent ones.

If your Peace Lily isn’t flowering, it’s usually a light issue — move it to a slightly brighter spot and wait. Don’t go straight for direct sunlight; work gradually.

Common problems

Drooping leaves: Almost always thirst. Water it and check back in an hour or two — if it’s perked up, that was the problem. If it hasn’t, the issue may be root rot from previous overwatering.

Yellow leaves: Overwatering is the most common cause. Let the soil dry out more between waterings. Old leaves at the base of the plant naturally yellow and die — that’s normal.

Brown leaf tips: Low humidity, fluoride sensitivity, or inconsistent watering. None of these are emergencies. Trim the tips with clean scissors, cutting at a slight angle.

Brown patches on leaves: Usually sunburn from direct light. Move the plant away from direct sun.

Pale, washed-out leaves: Too much light, or the plant needs feeding.

Toxicity

Peace Lilies are toxic to cats and dogs, and mildly toxic to humans if ingested. Keep away from pets and small children.