Peace lily care guide
Spathiphyllum
The peace lily (Spathiphyllum) is one of the few plants that flowers in shade. Its glossy dark leaves and white blooms make it a favorite for offices, waiting rooms and homes with little sun.
This guide covers light, watering, winter care, soil and repotting, getting more flowers, and fixes for brown tips, yellow leaves and drooping.
Low light · Medium light
About once a week
Easy
Not pet-safe
Where to water it
Pour water slowly onto the soil around the base, not over the leaves, until it runs out of the drainage holes. Empty the saucer after 15 minutes.
When: When the top inch is dry. It droops dramatically when thirsty and perks up within hours of a drink.
Where to put it
Medium to low light, away from direct sun, which scorches the leaves.
Common mistakes
- Letting it wilt over and over
- Direct sun
- Hard tap water, which browns leaf tips
Peace lily care at a glance
A peace lily care tag, expanded.
| Need | What to do |
|---|---|
| Light | Medium, indirect light. Tolerates low light. No direct sun. |
| Water | When the top inch of soil is dry, usually once a week. |
| Temperature | 65°F to 85°F. Keep above 50°F. |
| Humidity | Prefers above 40%. Brown tips mean the air is too dry. |
| Soil | Rich, well-draining potting mix. |
| Fertilizer | Half strength every 6 to 8 weeks in spring and summer. |
| Flowers | Mostly spring and summer. More light means more blooms. |
| Pets | Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. |
How much light does a peace lily need?
Peace lilies grow best in medium, indirect light, like near a north or east window or a few feet back from a brighter one. They tolerate low light and office lighting, which is why they're so common in interiors, but they rarely flower there.
Keep them out of direct sun. Sun bleaches the leaves pale yellow and scorches brown patches on them.
How often to water a peace lily
Water when the top inch of soil is dry, usually about once a week in spring and summer and every 10 to 14 days in winter. Water until it drains, then empty the saucer.
A peace lily wilts dramatically when thirsty and perks up within a few hours of watering. That makes it easy to read, but letting it collapse over and over weakens the plant and browns the leaf tips. Water just before it droops.
Peace lilies are sensitive to the chlorine and fluoride in tap water, which cause brown tips. Use filtered or rain water, or let tap water sit out overnight.
How to get a peace lily to flower
The white "flower" is actually a spathe, a modified leaf around the true flower spike. Peace lilies bloom mainly in spring and early summer, and each bloom lasts a month or more before turning green and fading.
No flowers usually means not enough light. Move the plant to brighter, indirect light, feed it lightly in spring, and let it get slightly root-bound. Cut faded flower stalks off at the base so the plant puts its energy into new growth.
Peace lily winter care
Water less often in winter, about every 10 to 14 days, and stop feeding. Keep it above 50°F and away from cold windows, doors and heater vents. Dry heating air browns the tips, so group it with other plants or use a humidifier.
Soil, pots and repotting
Use a rich, well-draining potting mix with some perlite. Repot every 1 to 2 years in spring, when roots fill the pot and it needs water every few days. Go up one pot size only. Large plants can be divided into two or three at the same time.
Brown tips, yellow leaves and other problems
Here's what each symptom means.
- Brown tips: tap water chemicals, dry air, too much fertilizer, or letting it wilt too often. Trim the tips and switch to filtered water.
- Brown patches: sunburn. Move it out of direct sun.
- Yellow leaves: overwatering, or old lower leaves dying naturally. Check that the soil isn't soggy.
- Drooping: thirst, or root rot if the soil is already wet. If wet soil and drooping go together, check the roots.
- Green flowers: normal as blooms age.
- Pests: mealybugs, scale and spider mites. Wipe leaves monthly.
Peace lilies are one of our most-installed office plants. On a Leafstruck care plan, technicians water to the plant, not the calendar, and we replace any plant that declines.
Commercial plant care plansOutdoor and large peace lilies
Peace lilies can grow outdoors in deep shade in USDA zones 10 to 12, or on a shaded patio in summer elsewhere. Bring them in before nights drop below 55°F.
Large varieties such as Sensation grow 4 to 6 feet tall with leaves up to 2 feet long. They make excellent low-light floor plants for lobbies and offices. Water large pots less often, because they hold moisture longer.
We install large peace lilies in designer planters for offices and lobbies.
Large indoor plants for businessPeace lily varieties
All peace lilies share the same care.
Sensation
The giant peace lily: up to 6 feet tall with large, ribbed leaves.
Care: Ideal as a low-light floor plant. Flowers less than smaller types.
Domino
Green leaves streaked and speckled with white.
Care: Needs a little more light to keep its variegation.
Mauna Loa and Clevelandii
The classic mid-size peace lily.
Care: Standard care. Free flowering in medium light.
Petite and Little Angel
Compact plants under 18 inches.
Care: Small pots dry faster. Check weekly.
Red peace lily
Glossy leaves with red or pink waxy flowers.
Care: Usually an anthurium, not a peace lily. Anthuriums need brighter light and less water.
Your Peace Lily watering schedule
Every 6 days · about once a week
Water the soil
Pour water slowly onto the soil around the base, not over the leaves, until it runs out of the drainage holes. Empty the saucer after 15 minutes.
Check first: When the top inch is dry. It droops dramatically when thirsty and perks up within hours of a drink.
Schedules are a starting point. Always check the soil before you water. Full Peace Lily care guide
Too many plants to keep track of? We water them for you.
Peace Lily questions
How do you take care of a peace lily indoors?
Give it medium, indirect light, water when the top inch of soil is dry, use filtered water if you can, and feed lightly in spring and summer.
How often should I water a peace lily?
About once a week in spring and summer and every 10 to 14 days in winter, when the top inch of soil is dry.
Why are my peace lily's leaves turning brown?
Brown tips come from tap water chemicals, dry air or over-fertilizing. Brown patches come from direct sun.
Why is my peace lily drooping?
Usually thirst; it should recover within hours of watering. If the soil is already wet, the cause is likely root rot.
Why isn't my peace lily flowering?
Most often too little light. Move it to bright, indirect light and feed it lightly in spring.
Should I cut off dead peace lily flowers?
Yes. Cut the whole flower stalk off at the base once the bloom turns brown or green.
Can a peace lily live outside?
Yes, in deep shade and warm weather. Keep it above 55°F and out of direct sun.
Is a peace lily toxic to cats?
Yes, it irritates the mouth and stomach. It isn't a true lily, though, so it doesn't cause the kidney failure that true lilies do in cats.
Do peace lilies clean the air?
They were part of NASA's 1989 clean air study, but you'd need a great many plants to measurably change the air in a real room.
Peace lilies that stay perfect
Leafstruck installs and maintains peace lilies and other low-light plants for offices, clinics and hotels, with a photo report every visit and free replacements.
Plants that like the same light
Test what you know
Water It Right game
Ten plants, two questions each: how often, and where does the water go?
GameFind the Right Spot game
Place each plant in the room where it will thrive, from sunny windows to windowless hallways.
QuizPlant matcher quiz
Answer five questions about your light, space and style to get three plants that will thrive.