Peace lilies, also known as Spathiphyllums are an evergreen perennial plant. They are easy plants for beginners as they do not require a lot of water or light to keep alive. As I will generally recommend, better to under-water than over-water if you’re not sure. You can tell if the plant needs water when the leaves begin to droop.

Spathiphyllums have been shown to clear the air of benzene and formaldehyde, both chemicals that can be found in the home.

General care

Indirect light and infrequent watering (once every two weeks in winter, at most once every 7-10 days in hotter/drier periods) will serve you well. Don’t let your spath sit in water, empty out saucers/cache pots after watering. Spaths do not enjoy draughts or extended periods of cold. They also do not like extended periods of direct light. Choose a bright position that isn’t touched by the sun.

Use a liquid fertiliser once a quarter (or whenever you remember, if you’re like me). I generally buy the cheapest/smallest quantity I can and mix in a quarter of a shot glass of fertiliser to 2-3L of water.

Clean the leaves of your spath when dust accumulates. I use a damp tea towel and gently wipe the leaves diagonally, following the natural veins, then down through the centre vein.

Flowering

The new leaves of the spath emerge from the centre of the last leaf. The flower emerges similarly. I first noticed my flower beginning to emerge on 22 November. By 7 December, the flower had completely emerged and was open.

Problems

The only problem I’ve experienced with my spath are leaves yellowing, either on the edges or entirely. A bit of liquid fertiliser usually helps stop this from occurring, but you can't fix the damage once it's done. You can also try using rain water instead of tap water, but this is a bit of a nuisance.

You can cut off the yellowing leaves, or you can allow the plant to do its thing (which results in the leaf turning brown and eventually falling off)

My Plant

The variety of spathiphyllum that I grow is a Spathiphyllum Sensation. It’s one of the largest varieties of spathiphyllum with huge green leaves. It has the potential to grow up to 1.8m tall, with leaves 50cm long.

I'd love to read your comments, hear your thoughts or see your plant photos, so please leave a comment below.

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Photos, thoughts and ideas from the garden of calathea.