Canna-leaved Peace Lily (Cannifolium Peace Lily) care

Light

Canna-leaved Peace Lily wants the spot a few feet back from a sunny window — bright enough to read a paperback at noon, but the sun never falls directly on the leaves. Prefers medium to bright indirect light mimicking the dappled shade of its rainforest habitat. Will tolerate lower light levels but at the cost of flowering frequency. Keep back from windows with direct afternoon sun to prevent leaf scorch. A faint hand shadow at midday is the right amount; a sharp dark shadow means it's getting direct sun and probably too much.

Watering

Water canna-leaved peace lily every 7–10 days in the growing season; every 14 days in winter. The actual day count varies with pot size, light, and season — the finger test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a fixed calendar. Empty any drainage saucer afterwards so the pot isn't sitting in water. Maintain evenly moist compost throughout the growing season. This species is sensitive to both drought and waterlogging. Water when the surface centimetre is just dry to the touch. Always empty saucers after watering to prevent standing water around the roots.

Soil and pot

Canna-leaved Peace Lily grows best in moisture-retentive, free-draining tropical potting mix. A blend of peat-free multipurpose compost, perlite (20%), and orchid bark chips (10–15%) replicates the leaf-litter-rich, freely draining soils of its natural habitat. Maintains structure well and allows adequate aeration around the roots. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Canna-leaved Peace Lily sits happiest at around 55–75% humidity and 18–30°C (64–86°F). Naturally a high-humidity species from humid tropical forests. Performs best above 60% relative humidity. Low humidity causes brown leaf margins on the characteristically broad leaves. A humidifier or regular misting is strongly recommended in temperate homes. If you keep the room above 18–30°C year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed canna-leaved peace lily sparingly. Apply a diluted balanced liquid fertiliser (half strength) once every three to four weeks during spring and summer. Avoid high-potassium 'tomato' feeds, which can interfere with calcium uptake. Do not feed from October through February. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on canna-leaved peace lily in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

• Slow or no flowering — Species-type peace lilies can be reluctant bloomers indoors compared to cultivars bred for flower production. Ensure adequate indirect light, allow a slightly cooler resting period in autumn, and avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers that encourage vegetative growth at the expense of blooms.
• Root rot — Overwatering or poorly draining soil leads to root rot, evidenced by yellowing leaves, wilting despite moist soil, and a foul smell from the compost. Remove affected roots, treat with a fungicide if severe, and repot into fresh, well-draining mix.
• Fungus gnats — Larvae develop in consistently moist, organic-rich compost. Allow the surface to dry slightly between waterings, apply a layer of horticultural grit as a top dressing, and use yellow sticky traps to monitor adult populations. Biological control with Steinernema feltiae nematodes is effective.

Propagation

Propagate by dividing mature clumps in spring. Lift the plant from its pot, tease apart individual crowns each with its own root system, and pot separately in fresh tropical mix. Keep divisions in a warm, humid environment out of direct light until they establish new growth. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Canna-leaved Peace Lily is toxic to pets. As a member of the genus Spathiphyllum and the Araceae family, S. cannifolium contains calcium oxalate crystals. Ingestion causes oral pain, swelling, salivation, and vomiting in cats, dogs, and humans. ASPCA lists Spathiphyllum as toxic to cats and dogs. Avoid contact with eyes and mucous membranes. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Canna-leaved Peace Lily deep-dive guides

Every aspect of canna-leaved peace lily care, each with its own calibrated guide:

• Common canna-leaved peace lily problems & fixes
• Canna-leaved Peace Lily watering schedule
• Canna-leaved Peace Lily light requirements
• Best soil mix for canna-leaved peace lily
• Canna-leaved Peace Lily fertilizing guide
• When to repot canna-leaved peace lily
• How to propagate canna-leaved peace lily
• How to prune canna-leaved peace lily
• What's eating my canna-leaved peace lily?
• Canna-leaved Peace Lily growth rate & size
• Canna-leaved Peace Lily cold hardiness
• Canna-leaved Peace Lily temperature & humidity
• Is canna-leaved peace lily toxic to cats & dogs?
• Is canna-leaved peace lily toxic to cats?
• Is canna-leaved peace lily toxic to dogs?
• All 9 Spathiphyllum varieties

Featured in these plant shortlists

Canna-leaved Peace Lily qualifies for 7 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

• Best low-light houseplants — Houseplants that need no direct sun and cope with a north-facing room or a spot well back from a window.
• Best plants for a north-facing window — Houseplants for a north-facing window: bright, even, indirect light and no scorching direct sun. Each pick verified against its documented light needs.
• Best drought-tolerant houseplants — Houseplants that prefer to dry out — forgiving of forgotten watering and ideal for travel or busy weeks.
• Best houseplants for beginners — Forgiving of irregular light and watering — the houseplants least likely to die in a new plant parent’s first season.
• Best humidity-loving houseplants — Houseplants that thrive in a bathroom, kitchen, or by a humidifier — selected by documented humidity preference.
• Best bathroom plants — Humidity-loving houseplants that also cope with lower light — suited to the steamy, often-dim conditions of a typical bathroom.
• Houseplants toxic to cats & dogs — The common houseplants the ASPCA lists as toxic to cats and dogs — the ones to keep out of reach, each with its symptoms and a safe alternative.
• Browse all 29 plant shortlists — pet-safe, low-light, drought-tolerant and more

Related guides

Canna-leaved Peace Lily is also commonly called Canna-leaved Peace Lily or Cannifolium Peace Lily.

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