Plant care

Peace lily (spathiphyllum) care

Spathiphyllum wallisii

Also called spathiphyllum, closet plant, white sails.

Light

Peace lily prefers the middle of the household lighting range — bright enough to read by all day, but never in the direct path of midday sun. Medium to low indirect light. Bright, filtered light promotes more flowering; harsh direct sun bleaches leaves. A useful test: hold your hand a few centimetres above the leaves at noon. A faint hand shadow means good light; a sharp dark shadow means direct sun and likely too much for this species.

Watering

Water peace lily as soon as the leaves start to droop slightly, usually every 5-7 days. The actual day count varies with pot size, light level, and the season — the finger test (or, better, lifting the pot to feel its weight) is more reliable than a calendar. Empty any drainage saucer after watering so the pot is never sitting in water. Peace lilies are honest signallers — when the leaves start to dip, water deeply. Use rainwater or filtered water if tap water leaves crispy edges.

Soil and pot

Peace lily grows best in standard potting compost with added perlite. Any free-draining houseplant mix is fine. Keep evenly moist during the growing season. 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

Peace lily sits happiest at around 50-60% humidity and 18-24°C (65-75°F). Higher humidity encourages flowering and prevents brown tips. If you keep the room above 18 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 peace lily sparingly. Balanced liquid feed at quarter strength every 4-6 weeks during the growing season; over-feeding burns leaf tips. 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 peace lily in the Growli community. Where a problem matches one of our diagnostic guides, click through for the full step-by-step recovery plan written for peace lily specifically.

Drooping leaves — A famously dramatic but harmless wilt — water it and it perks up.
Brown crispy tips — Fluoride or chlorine in tap water — switch to rain or filtered.
Yellow leaves — Overwatering or too much direct sun.
No flowers — Insufficient light; move to brighter indirect light.
Green flowers turning brown — Normal life cycle — trim spent spathes at the base.

Companion plants

Peace lily pairs well with Chinese evergreen, Parlor palm, Pothos, and Cast iron plant. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Divide mature clumps at repotting — each division needs a healthy crown with several leaves and its own root mass. 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

Peace lily is mildly toxic to pets. ASPCA lists Spathiphyllum as toxic to cats and dogs due to insoluble calcium oxalates. Symptoms include drooling, oral pain, and difficulty swallowing. 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.

Peace lily care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Spathiphyllum wallisii?

Spathiphyllum wallisii is most commonly called Peace lily, but it is also known as spathiphyllum, closet plant, white sails. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for Peace lily apply identically to anything sold as spathiphyllum.

How much light does peace lily need?

Peace lily grows best in medium indirect light (a couple of metres from a window). Medium to low indirect light. Bright, filtered light promotes more flowering; harsh direct sun bleaches leaves.

How often should I water peace lily?

Water peace lily as soon as the leaves start to droop slightly, usually every 5-7 days. Peace lilies are honest signallers — when the leaves start to dip, water deeply. Use rainwater or filtered water if tap water leaves crispy edges. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.

Is peace lily toxic to cats and dogs?

Peace lily is mildly toxic to pets. ASPCA lists Spathiphyllum as toxic to cats and dogs due to insoluble calcium oxalates. Symptoms include drooling, oral pain, and difficulty swallowing.

What USDA hardiness zone does peace lily grow in?

Peace lily is rated for USDA zone 11-12 (indoor-only) and RHS hardiness H1b. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

Peace lily deep-dive guides

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

Related guides

Peace lily is also known as spathiphyllum, closet plant, and white sails.