Gardeners warned over major sign peace lilies are dying
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With their glossy green foliage and delicate white blossoms, peace lilies are one of the most popular houseplants in the UK – however without proper care, they can easily wilt away. For that reason, it’s important to recognise the signs that your plant needs some urgent TLC.
Native to the humid rainforests of central and south America, peace lilies (or Spathiphyllum) were first brought to Europe in 1870, where their popularity quickly grew as an aesthetic and low maintenance houseplant. However, their reputation for being easy to grow can also lead to unintentional negligence by plant owners. According to BBC gardening experts, although the lilies can survive in dimmer areas, they flower far better in bright, indirect sunlight.
So to keep them as healthy as possible, plant owners should keep them out of direct sunlight, in addition to watering them regularly to keep their compost moist without becoming wet. A good rule of thumb is to wait until the top few centimetres of compost have dried before watering again. It’s also important to deadhead spent blooms and wipe leaves so that they can photosynthesise properly. Otherwise, dust may accumulate and prevent sunlight from reaching the plant cells.
Equally, since they are adapted to tropical environments, it may be necessary to spray a mist around the leaves in order to keep the humidity high enough. For this reason, they are usually best suited to being placed in bathrooms or kitchens. The temperature that peace lilies are kept at is also important to bear in mind. Ideally, they should be in an environment between 18 and 27 degrees Celsius, which means you need to be careful to keep them out of draughty areas of the house like doorways and fireplaces.
