Peace Lily
Spathiphyllum wallisii
📖 About this plant
One of the most popular houseplants in the world, the peace lily is celebrated for its elegant white spathes that rise gracefully above glossy, dark green leaves. Remarkably tolerant of low light conditions, it thrives in offices and homes where many other plants would struggle. NASA studies identified it as an excellent air purifier, effective at removing benzene, formaldehyde, and other volatile organic compounds from indoor air.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Low to medium indirect
Every 1-2 weeks
Moderate to high (50-70%)
18-28°C
Rich, well-draining potting mix with peat moss, perlite, and compost; retains moisture without waterlogging
Balanced liquid fertilizer (20-20-20) every 6-8 weeks during spring and summer; reduce or stop in winter
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Colombia, Venezuela — tropical rainforests of northern South America; forest floor understory
- 📏 Max height
- 30-90 cm (depending on variety; compact types 30-45 cm, large types 60-90 cm)
- 📐 Spread
- 30-90 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring - Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Dark Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Toxic to cats and dogs — contains calcium oxalate crystals; causes oral irritation, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing; rarely fatal
- 🌱 Propagation
- Division of root clumps during repotting, or separation of offsets with their own root systems
🛡️ Health & Safety
Toxic to cats and dogs — contains calcium oxalate crystals; causes oral irritation, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing; rarely fatal
Common issues
- Brown leaf tips from dry air or water quality
- Root rot from overwatering
- Yellow leaves from excess light
💡 Care tips
- One of the best houseplants for cleaning indoor air
- Droops dramatically when thirsty but recovers quickly
- Produces white spathes throughout the year
- Mildly toxic to pets so keep out of reach
