The peace lily is a plant that gives off a refreshing tropical feel thanks to its lush green leaves. As for its white flowers, they symbolize peace, purity, innocence and prosperity. The beautiful foliage and fragrant flowers make spathiphyllum a very popular houseplant. However, you must learn how to properly maintain it, and find the ideal location for it to flourish.
Also called moonflower, the peace lily is easy to grow and makes a beautiful addition to any houseplant collection. Here’s everything you need to know about caring for it.
The peace lily, a tropical plant that never ceases to seduce…
Peace lilies or spathiphyllum are tropical plants with long lanceolate leaves that grow in the forests of Central and South America, where they benefit from diffuse sunlight and constant humidity. To keep your peace lily healthy, it is essential to replicate these conditions at home. In fact, NASA revealed that the peace lily is one of the best houseplants for purifying the air. Thanks to their green leaves, these plants absorb polluted air and rid it of toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, benzene and formaldehyde.
Peace Lily: Care and Ideal Location
The peace lily or spathiphyllum is a versatile and rustic houseplant that can fit perfectly in your home if you arrange the right location for it. However, if not placed in the right location, it will develop pale, unhealthy foliage, fungal or bacterial diseases. In fact, there are many places in our homes where we could place this magnificent plant, but before doing so we must take into consideration certain factors.
- The right lighting : It is best to place peace lilies in a location that receives bright, indirect light. A north-facing window would be perfect, as the plant will be exposed to morning sun. Do not place them in places exposed to direct sunlight all day, as this could dry them out.
- Watering : When it comes to watering, keep the soil slightly damp to the touch, but do not overwhelm it with too much water, as this risks destroying the roots. It is true that this type of plant can withstand periods of drought, but their leaves will begin to develop brown tips if they lack water or humidity.
- Humidity: These plants appreciate high humidity levels. By spraying their leaves or placing their pot on a tray of moistened gravel, you can reproduce the conditions necessary for them to flourish.
Furthermore, the large leaves of spathiphyllum tend to accumulate a lot of dust and this can harm photosynthesis. Wipe them gently with a damp paper towel.
The dangers of the peace lily
- Keep it away from children: They are curious and don’t know what is good or bad for them. So it’s not surprising that they try to touch your plant. The latter contains calcium oxalate which can cause skin irritations, respiratory problems, stomach upset or diarrhea.
- Keep the plant away from pets: the peace lily is one of the houseplants that is toxic to pets. You must therefore keep it away from places where your pets roam. Indeed, its white leaves contain toxic pollen and can cause oral irritation if they end up on your pet’s fur or if your pet licks them.
Providing good conditions for your peace lily will allow it to develop healthily and allow you to enjoy its mysterious smell with slightly spicy notes.
