Graceful Peace Lilies Can Even Survive in a Windowless Room

Peace lilies are vibrant and lovely, with verdant leaves that grace any indoor space with a touch of life. They’re also on NASA’s list of top air-cleaning plants. The really great news, though, is that peace lilies are easy to care for. With these tips, you can enjoy them for both their aesthetic and function for years to come.

Peace Lilies and Light

Peace lilies like indirect light and shade, making them ideal for indoor environments. They’re even known to do well in offices with fluorescent lights and no windows! South- or west-facing windows tend to be the best locations for peace lilies, providing the right mix of light. Your peace lily will tell you if it’s getting too much light: Yellow leaves indicate too much light, while brown streaks are a sign of scorching from direct sunlight. Move your peace lily if its leaves exhibit these signs.

Watering Your Peace Lily

Peace lilies are more tolerant of under-watering than over-watering. Keep plants evenly moist by watering when soil feels dry to the touch. Take care not to over-water. If your tap water has a lot of chlorine, leave it out overnight to allow the chlorine to evaporate. Peace lily leaves also enjoy a good misting, which you can do when you water throughout the summer.

Watering is another area in which your peace lily will communicate with you: If leaves begin to droop, it’s time to water and your plant won’t be any worse for the little bit of wear.

Make sure your peace lily’s pot has good drainage. If wilting occurs, check for soggy roots, which indicates root rot.

Fertilizing Your Peace Lily

While peace lilies can do fine with fertilization only once or twice a year, regular fertilization in spring and summer will encourage blooms. Peace lilies are sensitive to chemical fertilizers, so use an organic general houseplant fertilizer at one-quarter to one-half the recommended strength.

Re-potting and Propagating Your Peace Lily

Once roots begin to show above the soil, it’s time to re-pot your peace lily. This usually occurs about every year or two. Re-pot into a container that is about two inches bigger in diameter than the current pot.

Re-potting is a good time to divide your plant. Crowns, areas where clusters of about two new leaves are growing, are a good place to divide your plant, but some people just separate roots anywhere to multiply their plant. Use soil from the old pot for the new plant so that it isn’t shocked. For smaller transplants, don’t use a pot that’s too big. Cozy roots encourage blooms.