Your Cool Home is supported by its readers. Please assume all links are affiliate links. If you purchase something from one of our links, we make a small commission from Amazon. Thank you!
You look after a peace lily plant by giving it the right balance of bright indirect light, consistent moisture, and warm, humid conditions.
If you’ve been asking how to look after a peace lily plant, you’re in the right place because these elegant houseplants are surprisingly forgiving once you understand their basic needs.
Learning how to look after a peace lily plant isn’t complicated, but it does require paying attention to a few key signals your plant will give you.
In this post, we’ll cover exactly how to look after a peace lily plant, from watering and light to common problems and fixes.
Let’s dig in and get your peace lily thriving.
Why Learning How To Look After A Peace Lily Plant Matters
Knowing how to look after a peace lily plant properly makes the difference between a lush, blooming beauty and a droopy, sad-looking mess.
These plants are known for being dramatic when thirsty, but they’re also incredibly resilient when you get the basics right.
The good news is that how to look after a peace lily plant boils down to mimicking its natural tropical rainforest home, which means steady warmth, dappled light, and high humidity.
Let’s break down each element of peace lily care so you can feel confident.
1. Light Needs For A Peace Lily Plant
When you’re figuring out how to look after a peace lily plant, light is the first thing to get right.
Peace lilies absolutely hate direct sunlight because it scorches their broad, glossy leaves.
Instead, they thrive in bright, indirect light, like the kind you get from a north or east-facing window.
If you’re wondering how to look after a peace lily plant in a darker room, don’t worry too much, they can tolerate low light, but they won’t flower as much.
A good rule of thumb is that if the room is bright enough to read a book comfortably, your peace lily will be happy.
Rotate the pot every week or so to ensure even growth, because peace lilies lean toward the light source.
2. Watering Your Peace Lily Plant Correctly
The most common question when learning how to look after a peace lily plant is how often to water it.
There’s no fixed schedule, instead, you should check the top inch of soil with your finger.
If that top inch feels dry to the touch, it’s time to water your peace lily plant thoroughly.
When you do water, pour until it drains freely from the bottom of the pot, then empty the saucer so the roots don’t sit in standing water.
Overwatering is actually a bigger risk than underwatering because peace lily roots can rot in soggy soil.
Underwatering is easier to spot because the leaves will droop dramatically, but they usually perk back up within a few hours of a good drink.
A key part of how to look after a peace lily plant is using room-temperature, filtered water, since they’re sensitive to the chlorine and fluoride in tap water.
3. Soil And Potting Mix For A Peace Lily Plant
To look after a peace lily plant well, you need a potting mix that holds moisture but also drains freely.
A standard all-purpose houseplant soil mixed with some perlite or orchid bark works perfectly.
This combination keeps the roots aerated while retaining just enough water between waterings.
When repotting, which you should do every one to two years, choose a pot only one to two inches larger in diameter than the current one.
Peace lilies actually prefer to be slightly root-bound, so don’t rush to give them a massive new home.
Understanding the right soil is a huge part of how to look after a peace lily plant because it prevents the most common root issues.
4. Temperature And Humidity For A Peace Lily Plant
A big part of how to look after a peace lily plant is keeping it away from cold drafts and sudden temperature swings.
These tropical beauties prefer temperatures between 65°F and 80°F (18°C to 27°C), which is right in line with most homes.
Avoid placing them near air conditioning vents, heaters, or drafty windows because those extremes cause leaf edges to brown.
Humidity is equally important, as peace lilies love moist air.
If your home is dry, especially in winter, you can boost humidity by placing a small humidifier nearby or setting the pot on a tray of wet pebbles.
Misting the leaves a couple of times a week also helps, but don’t overdo it as that can lead to fungal issues.
Getting the humidity right is one of the best-kept secrets for how to look after a peace lily plant and keep it glossy.
Feeding And Fertilizing Your Peace Lily Plant
While peace lilies aren’t heavy feeders, fertilizing is still part of how to look after a peace lily plant if you want regular blooms.
Use a balanced, water-soluble houseplant fertilizer diluted to half strength every six to eight weeks during spring and summer.
Skip feeding entirely in fall and winter because the plant’s growth naturally slows down.
Over-fertilizing can cause brown leaf tips, so when in doubt, under-fertilize your peace lily plant.
Always water the soil first before applying liquid fertilizer to prevent burning the roots.
1. Recognizing When To Fertilize
You’ll know it’s time to feed your peace lily plant when it’s actively pushing out new leaves in the growing season.
If your plant is looking a little pale or the growth seems stalled, a gentle feeding can give it a boost.
Just remember that these plants prefer a light touch, so less is definitely more when it comes to fertilizer.
2. Dealing With Brown Tips And Yellow Leaves
Even with good care, you’ll often see brown leaf tips or yellowing leaves when learning how to look after a peace lily plant.
Brown tips usually indicate either too much fertilizer, fluoride in tap water, or very dry air.
Yellow leaves, on the other hand, typically point to overwatering or poor drainage.
The fix for brown tips is to switch to filtered water and increase humidity, which you can also do by placing the pot on a pebble tray.
For yellow leaves, let the soil dry out a bit more between waterings and make sure the pot has good drainage holes.
Prune away any completely yellow or brown leaves at the base with clean scissors to keep your peace lily plant looking tidy.
Common Pests And Problems When You Look After A Peace Lily Plant
Part of knowing how to look after a peace lily plant is being ready for the occasional pest or problem.
The most common invaders are spider mites, mealybugs, and scale, especially if the air around the plant is dry.
You can treat these by wiping the leaves with a damp cloth and applying an insecticidal soap or neem oil spray.
Drooping leaves are the most classic peace lily drama, but as we mentioned, it’s usually just a sign they need water.
However, if drooping happens even when the soil is moist, it could be a sign of root rot from overwatering.
In that case, you’ll need to unpot the plant, trim away any mushy dark roots, and repot it in fresh, well-draining mix.
So, How To Look After A Peace Lily Plant?
To look after a peace lily plant, you need to give it bright indirect light, consistent watering when the topsoil dries out, and warm, humid air.
Use a well-draining potting mix, feed lightly in the growing season, and keep it away from direct sun and cold drafts.
Watch for droopy leaves as your main cue to water, and brown tips as a sign to check your humidity or water quality.
With just these few simple habits, you’ll be able to look after a peace lily plant successfully for years.
These gorgeous plants reward your attention with sculptural green leaves and delicate white spathe blooms, so enjoy your thriving peace lily.