Peace Lily Care: Watering, Light, Blooms and Common Problems

By the Garden Voila editorial team · Updated October 27, 2026 · How we verify

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) care is simple: give it medium to bright indirect light, water when the top inch of soil is dry or when the leaves just begin to droop, keep it at normal room temperatures between 65°F and 85°F, and plant it in a peat- or coir-based potting mix in a pot with drainage holes. Peace lilies like moderate humidity, a light monthly feeding in spring and summer, and repotting every year or two. They tolerate low light but flower poorly without enough brightness. Brown leaf tips usually mean irregular watering, dry air or salts in tap water, and yellow leaves usually mean overwatering. All parts are irritating if chewed, so keep the plant away from pets.

Peace lily care at a glance

What is a peace lily?

Peace lilies are evergreen perennials in the arum family, native to the tropical rainforest floors of Central and South America, where they grow in shade under trees in rich, moist soil. Despite the name, they are not true lilies, which is important for cat owners: peace lilies irritate the mouth but do not cause the kidney failure that true lilies do. The white “flower” is actually a modified leaf called a spathe, wrapped around a spike of tiny true flowers called a spadix. The University of Florida IFAS publication on growing peace lilies explains that their tolerance of lower light, attractive foliage and long-lasting blooms have made them one of the most popular flowering houseplants.

How much light does a peace lily need?

Peace lilies grow and bloom best in medium to bright indirect light, such as a few feet back from an east or west window, or near a north window. They tolerate lower light better than most flowering houseplants, which is why they are common in offices, but in dim spots they produce few or no flowers and grow slowly. Direct sun, especially hot afternoon sun, scorches leaves, causing pale yellow or brown patches. If your peace lily has dark green leaves but no blooms, move it gradually to a brighter spot. If leaves are bleached or scorched, move it farther from the window.

How often should you water a peace lily?

Water when the top inch of soil feels dry, which is about once a week in spring and summer and every 10 to 14 days in winter, depending on light, temperature and pot size. Peace lilies are famous for drooping dramatically when thirsty, then perking up within hours of watering. This makes a useful reminder, but letting them wilt repeatedly stresses the plant and causes brown leaf tips and yellow leaves, so aim to water just before they droop. Water thoroughly until it runs out of the drainage holes, then empty the saucer.

• Drooping with dry soil: thirsty; water thoroughly.
• Drooping with wet soil: overwatered or root rot; check the roots and let the soil dry.
• Brown, crispy tips: irregular watering, dry air, or minerals in tap water.

Peace lilies can be sensitive to fluoride and chlorine in tap water. If tips keep browning, try using rainwater or distilled water, or let tap water stand overnight before use. See overwatering vs underwatering for help diagnosing.

What is the best soil and pot for a peace lily?

Use a quality indoor potting mix based on peat moss or coconut coir, with added perlite or fine bark for drainage. The mix should hold moisture but never stay soggy. Avoid garden soil and dense, heavy mixes. Always use a pot with drainage holes. Peace lilies bloom well when slightly pot-bound, so choose a pot only 1 to 2 inches wider than the root ball when repotting.

What temperature and humidity does a peace lily need?

Keep peace lilies between 65°F and 85°F during the day and above 55°F at night. Cold drafts and temperatures below 50°F cause leaf damage and black patches. Avoid heating and air conditioning vents, fireplaces and cold windows. Peace lilies like humidity of 40 percent or more. In dry winter homes, group plants together, use a humidifier or set the pot on a pebble tray. Bathrooms and kitchens with good light suit them well.

How do you get a peace lily to bloom?

Peace lilies usually bloom in spring and early summer, and some repeat in fall. If yours is not flowering:

1. Increase light. This is the most common fix. Move the plant to bright, indirect light.
2. Be patient with young plants. Plants typically need to be about a year old to bloom.
3. Feed lightly. Use a balanced or slightly phosphorus-rich houseplant fertilizer at half strength every six to eight weeks in spring and summer.
4. Avoid overpotting. A slightly snug pot encourages flowering.
5. Know about gibberellic acid. Commercial growers often treat plants with a growth hormone to force them into bloom for sale. Plants may not rebloom for a while after you bring them home until they settle into their natural cycle.

White spathes turn green, then brown as they age. Cut spent flower stalks off at the base to keep the plant tidy and redirect energy to new growth.

How should you fertilize a peace lily?

Peace lilies are light feeders. Use a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer at half strength every six to eight weeks in spring and summer, and skip feeding in fall and winter. Overfertilizing causes brown leaf tips and edges, and white crust on the soil. If this happens, flush the soil by running plenty of water through the pot, and reduce feeding. Pale, yellowish new leaves can be a sign that the plant needs a little more fertilizer.

How and when do you repot a peace lily?

Repot every one to two years in spring, or when roots grow out of the drainage holes, the plant wilts very quickly after watering, or roots fill the pot. Water the day before, ease the plant out, loosen circling roots and trim any that are brown and mushy. Place it in a pot 1 to 2 inches wider, at the same depth as before, with fresh potting mix. Water thoroughly and keep it out of bright light for a week while it recovers. Some drooping after repotting is normal.

How do you propagate a peace lily?

Peace lilies are propagated by division. When repotting, look for clumps or crowns, each with their own leaves and roots. Gently pull or cut them apart with a clean knife, making sure each division has at least two or three leaves and a healthy root system. Pot each division in its own container with fresh mix, water well, and keep in bright, indirect light. Divisions usually settle in within a few weeks. Peace lilies do not root from leaf cuttings.

What are the most common peace lily problems?

For plants that stay limp despite moist soil, check for root rot: healthy roots are white and firm, while rotten roots are brown, mushy and smell bad.

Do peace lilies purify the air?

Peace lilies were among the plants tested in a 1989 NASA study that measured removal of chemicals in small sealed chambers. Later research found that in normal homes and offices, houseplants have only a minor effect on indoor air quality compared with ventilation, because the number of plants needed would be impractically large. Peace lilies are rewarding houseplants for their beauty and tolerance of shade, but ventilation and source control are the real tools for clean indoor air.

Which peace lily varieties can you grow?

• ‘Mauna Loa’ and similar standard types: 2 to 3 feet tall with large white spathes; the most common.
• ‘Sensation’: a giant variety up to 5 or 6 feet with large, ribbed leaves, grown mainly as foliage.
• ‘Petite’ and ‘Wallisii’: compact varieties around 12 to 15 inches, good for desks and shelves.
• ‘Domino’: variegated with white streaks on the leaves; needs slightly brighter light.
• ‘Sweet Chico’ and ‘Little Angel’: compact, free-flowering hybrids.

The North Carolina State Extension plant toolbox entry for Spathiphyllum describes the genus, its growing requirements and its toxicity.

Where should you put a peace lily?

Peace lilies suit living rooms, bedrooms, offices, kitchens and bathrooms with medium to bright indirect light. A spot a few feet from an east window is often ideal. Avoid direct sun, heating and cooling vents, cold windows in winter, and places where curious pets can reach them. In USDA zones 10 to 12, they can grow outdoors in shade beds or containers, and elsewhere they can spend summer outdoors in deep shade once nights stay above 60°F. Bring them indoors before temperatures drop below 55°F.

Common peace lily care mistakes

• Waiting for dramatic wilting every time before watering.
• Keeping it in deep shade and expecting flowers.
• Placing it in direct afternoon sun, which scorches leaves.
• Using pots without drainage or letting water sit in the saucer.
• Overfertilizing, which causes brown tips and leaf burn.
• Repotting into a much larger pot, which delays blooming and holds excess water.
• Ignoring dust; wipe the broad leaves with a damp cloth every few weeks so they can capture light.

A seasonal peace lily care routine

• Spring: repot or divide if needed, start light feeding every six to eight weeks, and move to brighter indirect light to encourage blooms.
• Summer: water about weekly, wipe leaves and remove spent flowers.
• Fall: stop feeding and bring outdoor plants inside before nights reach 55°F.
• Winter: water less often, raise humidity and keep away from drafts and heaters.

Browse our plant pests and diseases library for help with other houseplant problems, and see our guides to snake plant care and monstera care for other easy indoor plants.

Peace lily FAQ

References used in this guide: University of Florida IFAS Extension, Growing Peace Lilies; NC State Extension, Spathiphyllum; ASPCA, Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants.