The peace lily is one of the few common houseplants that flowers reliably indoors. Glossy dark green leaves are joined by elegant white spathes (often mistaken for petals) every spring and summer. It tolerates low light, signals thirst with dramatic wilting, and recovers within an hour of being watered.
Quick reference
| Scientific name | Spathiphyllum wallisii |
|---|---|
| Common names | Peace Lily, Spathiphyllum |
| Family | Araceae |
| Native to | Tropical Americas |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Pet safety | Toxic to cats and dogs (calcium oxalate crystals). |
Peace Lily care guide
Light
Medium to bright indirect light. Tolerates low light but flowers far less without a bright spot. Avoid direct sun, which scorches the leaves.
Water
Water when the leaves first begin to droop — peace lilies are excellent self-communicators. Roughly every 5–7 days in summer, every 10 days in winter. Always water thoroughly until it drains out the bottom.
Humidity
Loves 50%+ humidity. A nearby humidifier or pebble tray helps, especially in winter.
Temperature
Comfortable from 18–27 °C (65–80 °F). Sensitive to cold below 13 °C (55 °F).
Soil
Any standard well-draining houseplant mix.
Fertilizer
Feed monthly in spring and summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength to encourage flowering.
Pruning
Remove faded flowers at the base of the stem. Cut yellow leaves at the soil line.
Repotting
Every 1–2 years in spring. The plant flowers most reliably when slightly root-bound, so do not over-pot.
Propagation
Divide the rootball when repotting — gently pull apart natural clumps and pot each section separately.
Common Peace Lily problems
Brown leaf tips
Cause: Chlorinated tap water, low humidity, or fertilizer burn.
Fix: Use filtered water, raise humidity, and flush the soil with plain water every few months.
No flowers
Cause: Insufficient light, plant is too young, or no recent feeding.
Fix: Move to brighter indirect light and feed every 2–4 weeks during the growing season. Young plants take 1–2 years to flower.
Drooping leaves
Cause: Thirsty plant — the peace lily's normal cue to be watered.
Fix: Water thoroughly. Leaves should bounce back within 1–2 hours.
How PlantCare Pro can help with your Peace Lily
Scan your Peace Lily in the PlantCare Pro app to confirm the species, get a 0–100 health score, and receive a personalised, weather-aware care plan. Save it to My Garden to track its health over time and get notified when something looks wrong.
Peace Lily FAQ
How often does a peace lily need water?
The peace lily tells you. When the leaves visibly droop, water thoroughly until water drains from the bottom. In most homes this is every 5–7 days in summer and every 10 days in winter.
Why does my peace lily have brown tips?
Almost always chlorine or fluoride in tap water. Switch to filtered or distilled water and the brown tips should stop appearing on new leaves.
Can peace lilies clean indoor air?
Yes — they were one of the top performers in NASA's Clean Air Study, removing benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene and other VOCs from indoor air at measurable rates.