Caring For and Maintaining Your Spathiphyllum (Peace Lily)

 Spathiphyllum, or the Peace Lily, is one of the most common houseplants in the United States because of its beautiful white blooms (or spathes) and that fact that it is super easy to grow. It is native to central American and Asia, and was first discovered in a Colombian jungle. Spathiphyllum is not actually a lily, but an Arum. The Peace Lily derives its common name from the fact that flowers resemble little white flags petitioning for peace. It is mildly toxic to pets and people.

 Sunlight: Spathiphyllum thrives in bright indirect sunlight. If you bring your Peace Lily outside during the warmer months, make sure you place in a spot that gets partial shade and not direct sunlight. With too much sunlight, the leaves will begin to pale a bit or become scorched, sending you a clear message--put it in a much shadier spot.

 Water: Water when the top 1" of soil is completely dry with room temperature water. Water until the water drains from the holes in the bottom of the pot. Do not allow your Peace Lily to dry out completely. In the winter months, you can cut back on the watering, but only a bit--again, don't let your Spathiphyllum to dry out totally.

Humidity: Colorado is a dry state with humidity levels much lower than the native environments in which Spathiphyllum inhabit. To help create a more humid environment for your Spathiphyllum, consider adding a fine mist humidifier to the room(s) in which you have your Spathiphyllum. You can also place trays filled with stones and water nearby your Spathiphyllum to increase local humidity. Misting your Spathiphyllum with a hand sprayer will also help raise the local humidity level. Although the more humidity the better, a constant relative humidity of 50-55% will promote your Spathiphyllum’s growth and health.

Temperature: Like most tropical or subtropical houseplants, Spathiphyllum prefers to be warm and does very well in temperatures ranging from 65 to 80 degrees F (18-27 degrees C). Keep your Peace Lily away from drafty areas in your house and keep the temperature to a minimum of 55 degrees F (13 degrees C)--Spathiphyllum don't like not cooler temperatures.

 Soil: Use a well-draining soil packed with plenty of organic matter. We recommend Fertilome and Fox Farm potting soil.