Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) are a family of tropical evergreens that are perfect for your home. They produce beautiful white to off-white flowers that start blooming in summer. If taken care of properly, the flowers will continue blooming throughout the year. They also offer other benefits like air purification!
Peace lilies generally require very little care. However, they can be temperamental when it comes to blooming. They are intolerant to cold and die from overwatering. Flowers may fail to bloom due to underexposure or overexposure to light. And so you must account for these little facts to ensure a healthy plant.
The leaves of the peace lily are a deep and vibrant green. They rarely come in any other colors. If you see the leaves on your peace lilies yellowing, don’t panic. It could be any number of reasons, and many have simple remedies. Keep reading to know what’s causing your peace lily’s leaves to turn yellow and how to fix it!
Table of Contents
1. Watering And Containers
One of the most common reasons for yellowing leaves on a plant is overwatering, and the peace lily is no exception. Often, people feel that they need to give their plants a lot of water to keep them healthy. However, overwatering your plants can make your plant susceptible to root rot, cause leeching of nutrients from the soil, and allow bacteria to grow on the leaves.
The peace lily requires proper watering but can go about three weeks without being watered. So if you see the edges of your peace lily leaves turning yellow, check to see if your pot drains well. Also, try cutting back on the watering schedule and switch to watering the plant only when the top 2 or 3 inches of the soil is dry. The peace lily likes its soil moist, not soaking wet.
Consider repotting your lily into a different container if it seems to be a drainage issue with the pot. Another reason to transplant your lily is if it seems too large for its present pot. Terracotta is always a good option as it is porous and thus facilitates better water and air movement.
2. Soil Quality And Nutrients
One of the biggest issues for any plant is poor soil quality. Peace lilies prefer light, well-draining, and aerated mixes, as too much wetness can give them root rot, which can cause yellowing of the leaves. Ensure your potting soil has a good mix of perlite, charcoal, or similar materials to keep the soil porous and loose. Make sure the pH of the soil is mildly acidic to neutral, between 5.0 to 6.5.
Also, make sure you have the right type of soil for your plant. Peace lilies do not grow well in clay-based soils. Always make sure to use all-purpose potting soil.
Peace lilies don’t require frequent fertilization, so be careful not to over-fertilize as this can cause the leaves to turn yellow and browning of the tips. Fertilize once every six weeks during spring and summer with a 20-20-20 fertilizer. Make sure you dilute the fertilizer to quarter strength before you do.
3. Improper Lighting
Image credits: Wim Deblauwe via Garden Stack Exchange
Lighting is one of the reasons for which the peace lily is notorious — Too little or too much light can cause it to wilt and impact blooming. What it needs is bright indirect light! On the other hand, too much sunlight can cause the leaves to dry out, turn yellow, and die.
Be especially careful during the blooming season, as either of these issues will make it fail to bloom. Make sure you pick a spot in the house where the peace lily can receive indirect bright light throughout the day. Placing it near an east or north-facing window should help with this issue.
Do not keep your lily in direct sun; it will cause the leaves to burn.
4. Temperature And Humidity
Peace lilies are tropical plants that are commonly found growing on forest floors. As a result, they are susceptible to temperature changes and to humidity. They cannot handle cold weather at all and prefer warm daytime temperatures. Their range is around 68 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything lower than 60 degrees Fahrenheit is detrimental to the plant. At temperatures higher or lower than that range, the leaves will begin to curl and yellow.
The humidity for the plant also needs to be around 60 percent or more. This can be handled by frequently misting the plant or simply placing some water on a large tray with pebbles and placing the plant pot in it. However, be careful not to let any water soak into the soil this way. It’s best to increase your homes relative humidity because lower humidity levels can dry out the plant causing the leaves to turn yellow or brown.
5. Pests, Infections, And Other Problems
Every gardener understands that their beautiful plants are subject to diseases and pests. The peace lily is susceptible to aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites. Most pests go for the plant sap, which can cause stress to the leaves, making them yellow. It can catch the dasheen mosaic virus or develop leaf blight. The dasheen virus causes a yellow or light green mosaic pattern to appear on the leaves.
Use an organic pesticide and gently spray the plants to eliminate any pests. Neem oil is another excellent natural pesticide.
The peace lily leaves may accumulate dust, so from time to time, gently wipe the leaves with a damp cloth. This will ensure the leaf surface area isn’t blocked, and photosynthesis can occur.
Vibrant in Green And White!
Peace lilies are a beautiful plant to keep in apartments. They add a dash of color and vibrancy to any indoor garden and are lightly fragrant. A peace lily will cheer up any room it’s placed in and is one of the easier flower plants. As an evergreen, it blooms all year, making for a great view every day! Just ensure you keep it out of reach of kids and pets, as the plant is toxic!
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