Peace lilies, known by the botanical name – Spathiphyllum,are one of the widely seen and common houseplants because they need very little maintenance and easy to grow. They are not true lilies. Peace lilies belong to Araceae family. The flower which is very attractive exhibits a white hood like sheath. This resembles the white flag of surrender. It can be sued towards uplift of décor of any home.
Table of Contents
Peace Lily – Specification:
Common Name : Peace Lily
Botanical Name : Spathiphyllum
Family : Araceae
Plant Type : Flowering Tropical Plant
Height and size : 2-4 feet tall.
Sun Light : Bright indirect sunlight.
Water : should be well drained, no water-logging
Hardiness zone : USDA 11 Toxicity : Mild . Keep away from pets and children
Peace lily meaning :
Each plant’s name has its own meaning and origin. That way a plant that symbolizes a feeling and memory close to one’s self is bound to have positive impact on the environment. Peace lilies point to different meanings – ranging from peace, hope, purity, innocence and wealth.
Peace:
This plant as it name sounds is seen as a symbol of peace or shalom (Hebrew). The white flower along with the sheath is recognized as a symbol of peace /truce. Peace lily can be sent to a person to put the simmering to rest, marking the beginning of a new era.
Hope
As per Chinese belief, peace lily is synonymous with hope which brings in positive energy into a place driving away all negativity. It also boosts the morale of the occupants. The plant by its look implies that better times are well ahead and inculcates ‘feel good’ factor into the minds of the occupants.
Purity
White color is always associated with purity, truth and chastity apart from being a symbol of peace and truce. As per Chinese belief and art and also that of Feng Shui, peace Lily symbolizes one’s purity with respect to soul and surroundings. As already explained, peace lily is supposed to drive away the negativity and infuse positive energy
From environment point of view too, peace lilies are known for their ability to remove toxins from ambient air and improve the quality. In a way they contribute towards improving the air quality, though in a minuscule way.
Healing
Most of the popular indoor plants are known to have huge positive impact on patients recovering from illness. Peace is seen as an ideal gift for someone convalescing from illness.
Prosperity
Peace Lily plants have abundant and lush green foliage along with pristine white flower with a sheath. May be that is the reason, peace lily is linked with abundance and prosperity.
Peace Lily at home – Benefits
a) Air Purification
The ambient air at home has many toxins like benzene, xylene, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde apart from CO2 and others. This creates lot of breathing issues starting from allergies, asthma…etc.
Peace Lily is not just successful in removing/reducing the level of all these pollutants; it also enhances the quality of ambient air by enriching it with additional moisture. It is learnt that Peace Lily removes the pollutants by around 60%. Another major advantage of peace lily is its ability to absorb mold spores. It is pertinent to mention here that mold spore is one of the major allergens that lead to eye, skin and throat irritation, among other ailments. Peace lily helps reduce mold spores in the air by eliminating them.
b) Maintenance free :
As it is well known, Peace lily is easy to grow and care as a house indoor plant. People are happy when they are able to have a indoor plant grown successfully despite their busy schedules. Another advantage of peace lily is, it can be grown nicely in indirect bright sunlight and need not be put under direct sunlight unlike similar indoor plants. Peace lily can adjust to poor light surroundings too. That makes it very flexible and most sought after as far as maintenance is concerned.
c) Absorbs acetone vapors
In addition to the e pollutants that come from outside as detailed above, the peace lily plant protects the occupants from toxic vapors of the products that are used at home. This mostly includes acetone and alcohol that have detrimental effects on the health. Paints, thinners, after shave lotions, cleaning agents used in wash room tiles have acetone and alcohol. The more is inhaled, it leads to health issues like allergies, headaches, abnormal blood pressure…etc. Peace lily plays a vital role in removing these toxins away from the home and in the process makes it a better place to live.
d) Sleep promotion
Uninterrupted and peaceful Sleep is not just an important but a mandatory ingredient that is required for the well being of a human being./ Sleeplessness also indicates the disturbance in one or two body parameters. Sizeable percentage of the population is deprived of sleep and is forced to go under continued medication, leading to other harmful side effects. Peace lily is a versatile plant bringing variety of benefits to the surroundings. It filters the indoor air absorbs airborne spores which act as allergens. It’s one of the best plants to be placed in the bed room on account of such immeasurable and great benefits it brings, in the long run
e) Uplift of Home décor
The lush green foliage of the plant coupled with pristine white flower covered by a sheath symbolizing a white flag being waved at as a mark of truce or peace is a marvel to be seen eternally. No wonder this plant finds place in every nook and corner of a house. It will not be an exaggeration if Peace lily is voted among the top 10 plants suited for uplift of aesthetic appearance of a living place. Peace lily stands apart from its peers through its simple and elegant appearance.
f) Absorbs excess moisture
One more additional advantage of having peace lily at home is the capability of the plant to absorb moisture from the air. This makes it a suitable one for places like washrooms which have high level of dampness. It reduces the dampness and mild dew on the curtains thereby preventing the growth of harmful mold spores in the indoor ambient air.
In addition to the above,
- Peace lily is used as a ornamental plant in office buildings, cubicles.
- It also partially absorbs harmful radiation from office electronic equipments like computers and other peripherals.
Peace Lily Care
Peace Lily house plants require moderate amount of light, water and temperature for survival and they are one of the easiest plants to care and grow. Let us see some of the basic needs and the ways and means to make peace lily thrive
Light
They are basically shade loving plants. Peace lily prefer bright, filtered indirect sunlight. If the plant exhibits scorched, pale and curly leaves, it’s an indication that the foliage are exposed to too much of direct sunlight and it’s time to move it to a shady place. After being in the shadier plant regains its lost glory sooner than later.
Soil
Peace lilies prefer soil with rich mixture of organic matter. These plants are accustomed and tuned to tropical weather. The plant thrives in a pot packed with deteriorating plant material. So it’s prudent to have the soil made in that type of mixture. The plant should be potted in a place that’s well drained free of waterlogging
Water
- As far as Peace lily is concerned, over watering is more harmful than under watering. As per the thumb rule, do watering only if the soil is dry one inch below the surface.
- During summer, even misting will take care so that the plant gets required moisture on time.
- Do not use Chlorinated water. If the water contains chlorine, it may be allowed stay for couple of days before all chlorine moves out
Temperature and Humidity
- The ideal and most favorable temperature for Peace lily plant is 65 to 80 deg F ( 18 to 26 deg C). The plants as such prefer moist warmth. It’s better to moist the leaves with softened or distilled water during summer.
Fertilizer
During summer, feeding the plant with slow release pellets will do the work. However addition of fertilizer during winter may be avoided
Types of Peace Lilies
Peace lilies come out in wide ranges that are symbolized by various sizes and shapes with respect to stem and foliage. Some of the common varieties of peace lilies are furnished here below
| S.No | Name | Features |
| 02 | Spathiphyllum – Power petite | Grows around 15-18 inches of height |
| 02 | Spathiphyllum – Mauna Loa Supreme | This variety can grow up to 4 feet tall |
| 03 | Spathiphyllum sensation | It can grow up to 6 feet tall sprouting leaves that are 20 inches in length |
| 04 | Spathiphyllum Mojo | This variety exhibits long foliage and that’s very attractive. |
| 05 | Spathiphyllum Golden Delicious | The foliage resembles golden green color |
| 06 | Spathiphyllum Starlight | The leaves are narrow in shape.. But comes out with multiple flowers in a single plant |
Pests & Diseases:
Like any other house plant, peace lilies are not immune to pests and diseases. Some of the common pests are mealy bugs
- Scorched , curled and Brown leaf tips :
These are commonly caused by continuous direct sunlight, lack of water or low humidity. Excess addition of fertilizer when not required can also cause the issue
Do misting of the plant’s leaves to increase humidity.
- Yellow & pale leaves
Yellow or pale leaves can be on account of over as well as under watering. It may also be an indication that the plant is constrained to stretch its roots due to space constraints.
Plant may be repotted into to a bigger container or pot
- Mealy bugs
The leaves need to be washed with soap solution till they are totally removed. Multiple application may be required depending upon the severity of the bugs
Toxicity to Humans , Dogs and Cats
As such, peace lilies are poisonous to both humans and pets. One need to be careful in case of cats or dogs
- The plant contains calcium oxalate in the form of crystals. When the leaf or stem is chewed upon by the dogs/cats, the sap and juice is likely to y interfere with blood calcium level, thereby making the blood toxic. Same is the case with humans, but not very dangerous for an adult.
- Even the pollen from the spadix can cause oral irritation if licked off fur and paws of the cats and dogs.
Propagation:
- The propagation of peace lily is normally done by way of dividing the clumps. This in generally done during repotting .There is no specific season for carrying out such activity. When the peace lily plant is ready to propagate, it sprouts crowns adjacently.
- Propagation can be done by cutting the crown as well the root ball which on its own can flourish into an independent plant.
- On an average it takes around a month for the roots to settle and start growing
FAQ
Are peace lilies hard to care for?
- Of course, any plant requires little bit of care with respect to light, water and temperature for it to survive and thrive. Peace lily is no exception to that formula.
- However compared to many of its counterparts, peace lily is easy to grow and propagate as long as its basic needs are met
How fast do peace lilies grow?
They grow at a moderate pace, taking around 2-4 years to become a fully grown plant
Can peace lilies be grown indoors?
Yes. They are more suited to be grown as a house plant than outdoor.