Spathiphyllum: a plant that tells you when it is thirsty
Peace lily earns its place for two reasons. It puts up with moderate light where most flowering species simply refuse to bloom, and it signals a shortage of water plainly: the leaves droop, then lift again within hours of watering.
The white blade people call a flower is another spathe. The true flowers sit on the spadix, and the spathe holds for a long time before gradually turning green.
Conditions
- Diffuse light. Direct sun scorches, deep shade suppresses flowering.
- Warmth without draughts. It is tropical and handles cold air badly.
- Raised humidity, especially through the heating season.
- Watering once the top layer dries, with nothing standing in the outer pot.
Drooping leaves are a signal rather than an illness. Even so, letting a plant reach that point regularly is unwise, since repeated drying tells on the roots.
Dry brown leaf tips usually point to dry air or hard water. Raise humidity with a tray of damp clay pebbles.
Wipe dust from the large leaves with a soft cloth. Clean foliage looks better and works better.
Flowering
A young plant does not flower immediately, and a pause during the first year after purchase is normal.
A snug pot actually helps. Moving one into a large container often means a long stretch of leaf growth with no spathes at all.
Cut spent spathes at the base of the stem. Left alone they turn green and gradually spoil the look of the plant.
Insufficient light remains the main reason for no flowers. Deep inside a room a peace lily survives, but stays a foliage plant.
A peace lily forgives a great deal, but never permanent damp in the outer pot. Its roots suffer from water long before they suffer from drought.
Who it suits
Beginners, offices, rooms with north facing windows, and homes with no sunny sill at all.
Its sap contains calcium oxalate and irritates mucous membranes, so in a home with animals or small children the pot goes out of reach.
Large specimens take up real space over time, which is worth remembering when choosing a container.
If a plant crosses Phuket in cold weather, packaging is essential. Tropical species take cold damage within minutes.
JFLOO files spathiphyllum under flowering plants. It is one of the few species that stays presentable under moderate light.