Peace Lily: A Beautiful and Beneficial Houseplant
Peace lilies are one of the most popular houseplants, and for good reasons. They are easy to care for, they purify the air, and they produce elegant white flowers that can brighten up any room. In this article, we will introduce you to the peace lily plant, its features, benefits, and how to grow and care for it. We will also compare it with some similar plants that you might want to consider for your home or office.
What is a Peace Lily?
A peace lily is a tropical evergreen plant that belongs to the genus Spathiphyllum and the family Araceae. It is native to Central and South America, where it grows in moist and shady forests. The peace lily is not a true lily, but it has a similar appearance with its glossy green leaves and white spathes (modified leaves that look like petals) that surround a spadix (a spike of tiny flowers).
The peace lily can grow up to 3 feet tall and wide, depending on the variety. Some of the common varieties are:
– Sensation: The largest variety, with dark green leaves that can reach 20 inches long and white spathes that can be 10 inches long.
– Mauna Loa: A medium-sized variety, with light green leaves and white spathes that have a slight green tinge at the base.
– Petite: A dwarf variety, with smaller leaves and spathes that are ideal for tabletops or small spaces.
– Jet Diamond: A newer variety, with variegated leaves that have silvery-white streaks and pure white spathes.
The peace lily is also known as the spathiphyllum, the white sails, the spathe flower, or the cobra plant.
What are the Benefits of Peace Lily?
Peace lilies are not only beautiful, but also beneficial for your health and well-being. Here are some of the benefits of having a peace lily in your home or office:
– It purifies the air: Peace lilies are excellent at removing harmful toxins from the air, such as benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene, toluene, and ammonia. These toxins can come from various sources, such as paints, varnishes, nail polish removers, cleaning products, cigarette smoke, and car exhaust. According to a NASA study, peace lilies can reduce every pollutant tested by up to 60%. This can improve your indoor air quality and prevent headaches, allergies, asthma, and other respiratory problems.
– It balances humidity levels: Peace lilies love humidity and absorb moisture from the air through their leaves. This can help regulate the humidity levels in your home or office, especially in dry or arid environments. A balanced humidity level can prevent dry skin, sore throat, nosebleeds, and static electricity. It can also discourage the growth of mold and mildew, which can cause allergies and infections.
– It offers Feng Shui benefits: Peace lilies are considered auspicious plants in Feng Shui, the ancient Chinese art of harmonizing energy in your surroundings. Peace lilies symbolize purity, harmony, peace, and prosperity. They can attract positive chi (energy) and ward off negative influences. They can also enhance the energy of specific areas in your home or office, depending on where you place them. For example, placing a peace lily in the east can promote health and family; placing it in the southeast can attract wealth and abundance; placing it in the southwest can foster love and romance.
– It’s easy to care for: Peace lilies are low-maintenance plants that don’t require much attention or expertise. They can tolerate low-light conditions and don’t need frequent watering or fertilizing. They will even let you know when they need water by drooping their leaves slightly. All you need to do is keep them in a bright spot away from direct sunlight, water them when the soil feels dry to the touch (about once a week), feed them with a balanced houseplant fertilizer twice a year (in spring and autumn), and prune any dead or damaged leaves or flowers regularly.
– It adds beauty to your decor: Peace lilies are elegant and graceful plants that can enhance any style of interior design. Their glossy green leaves contrast nicely with their white spathes, creating a striking focal point in any room. Their flowers also have a long-lasting bloom period (up to two months), so you can enjoy their beauty for longer. You can choose from different sizes and varieties of peace lilies to suit your space and preference.
How to Grow and Care for Peace Lily?
Peace lilies are easy to grow and care for as long as you follow some basic guidelines. Here are some tips on how to grow and care for peace lily:
– Choose a suitable pot: Peace lilies prefer pots that are slightly larger than their root ball, with drainage holes at the bottom. You can use any material, such as plastic, ceramic, or terracotta, but avoid metal pots that can react with the plant’s sap. You can also use a decorative pot or basket to cover the original pot for aesthetic purposes.
– Use a well-draining soil: Peace lilies like moist but not soggy soil, so use a well-draining potting mix that contains peat moss, perlite, or vermiculite. You can also add some compost or organic matter to enrich the soil and improve its water retention. Avoid using garden soil or heavy clay soil that can compact and suffocate the roots.
– Water regularly but moderately: Peace lilies need water to thrive, but they don’t like to sit in water for too long. Water them when the top inch of the soil feels dry to the touch, and make sure to drain any excess water from the saucer. You can also mist the leaves occasionally to increase humidity and prevent dust accumulation. Peace lilies are drought-tolerant and will recover quickly if they wilt due to lack of water, but they are sensitive to overwatering and root rot, so be careful not to overdo it.
– Provide bright indirect light: Peace lilies can grow in low-light conditions, but they will produce more flowers and variegated leaves if they receive bright indirect light. Place them near a window that faces east or west, or use a sheer curtain to filter the sunlight if it’s too intense. Avoid placing them in direct sunlight, especially in the afternoon, as this can scorch their leaves and flowers.
– Fertilize sparingly: Peace lilies don’t need much fertilizer to grow and bloom, so feed them with a balanced houseplant fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) diluted to half-strength twice a year (in spring and autumn). You can also use organic fertilizers such as compost tea or worm castings, but avoid using manure or fresh organic matter that can burn the roots. Don’t fertilize them in winter when they are dormant, and don’t overfertilize them as this can cause leaf tip burn and reduce flowering.
– Prune regularly: Peace lilies don’t need much pruning, but you should remove any dead or damaged leaves or flowers to keep them healthy and tidy. You can also trim off any brown leaf tips with scissors, but make sure to leave a thin margin of brown tissue to prevent further damage. You can also divide your peace lily every few years if it becomes too large or crowded for its pot. To do this, gently remove the plant from its pot and separate the root ball into smaller sections with a sharp knife. Replant each section in a new pot with fresh soil and water well.
How to Compare Peace Lily with Similar Plants?
Peace lilies are not the only plants that have white spathes and spadices. There are some other plants that look similar to peace lilies, but have different features and care requirements. Here are some of the plants that look like peace lily, and how they compare:
| Plant Name | Features | Care Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Peace Lily | Glossy green leaves; white spathes; green spadix; air-purifying; humid-loving; low-light tolerant; easy-care | Bright indirect light; moist but well-draining soil; moderate watering; occasional fertilizing; regular pruning |
| Anthurium | Heart-shaped leaves; red, pink, or white spathes; yellow spadix; air-purifying; humid-loving; bright-light tolerant; moderate-care | Bright indirect light; moist but well-draining soil; moderate watering; frequent fertilizing; regular pruning |
| Calla Lily | Arrow-shaped leaves; white, yellow, pink, or purple spathes; yellow spadix; toxic to pets and humans; dry-loving; bright-light tolerant; moderate-care | Bright indirect light; dry but well-draining soil; infrequent watering; occasional fertilizing; regular pruning |
| Spathoglottis | Strap-like leaves; purple, pink, yellow, or white spathes; purple spadix; orchid-like flowers; humid-loving; bright-light tolerant; high-care | Bright indirect light; moist but well-draining orchid mix; frequent watering; frequent fertilizing; regular pruning |
As you can see from the table above, peace lilies have some advantages over other similar plants, such as their air-purifying ability, their low-light tolerance, and their easy-care nature. However, they also have some disadvantages, such as their lack of color variety, their sensitivity to overwatering, and their toxicity to pets and humans.
What are Some of the Best Reviews for Peace Lily?
Peace lilies are widely loved by many plant enthusiasts for their beauty and benefits. Here are some of the best reviews for peace lily from Amazon.com
– Review 1: “I bought this peace lily as a gift for my mom who loves plants. She was very happy with it and said it arrived in great condition. The plant was healthy and had several blooms. The pot and the gift wrap were also very nice. She said it was easy to take care of and it added a touch of elegance to her living room. I would definitely recommend this peace lily to anyone who wants to surprise their loved ones with a beautiful and beneficial plant.” – 5 stars
– Review 2: “This peace lily is amazing! It has been in my office for over a year and it still looks gorgeous. It has grown a lot and produced many flowers. It also purifies the air and makes me feel more relaxed and focused. It doesn’t need much light or water, so it’s perfect for busy people like me. I just water it once a week and feed it twice a year, and it rewards me with its beauty and grace. I love this peace lily and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a low-maintenance and high-quality plant.” – 5 stars
– Review 3: “I ordered this peace lily for myself because I wanted a plant that could improve my indoor air quality and also look nice. I was not disappointed with this peace lily. It arrived in good shape and had a few buds. It soon opened up and showed its white spathes that contrasted well with its green leaves. It also made my room feel more humid and fresh. It was easy to care for and didn’t need much attention. However, I had to keep it away from my cat, who tried to nibble on it once. I learned that peace lilies are toxic to pets and humans, so be careful if you have any around. Other than that, I was very satisfied with this peace lily and I would buy it again.” – 4 stars
How to Buy Peace Lily?
If you are interested in buying a peace lily for yourself or as a gift, you can order it online from Amazon.com by clicking [here]. You will get a live indoor plant with flowers, air purifying houseplant in thinking of you gift wrap, potting soil, get well soon gift idea for mom, dad, daughter, room decor, 15-inches tall. The price is $29.99 with free shipping for Prime members.
Peace lilies are wonderful plants that can enhance your home or office with their beauty and benefits. They, and they can purify the air, balance the humidity, offer Feng Shui benefits, and add beauty to your decor. They are also great gifts for your loved ones who appreciate plants and nature. Order your peace lily today and enjoy its elegance and grace for years to come!
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