Peace Lily also called as spath and its scientific name Spathiphyllum is a genus of the Araceae family. It is often seen in offices and homes growing beautifully in the indirect light. For a little history, the Peace Lily is not really a lily; it was just similar to the white lily.
Peace Lily also called as spath and its scientific name Spathiphyllum is a genus of the Araceae family. It is often seen in offices and homes growing beautifully in the indirect light. For a little history, the Peace Lily is not really a lily; it was just similar to the white lily. Peace Lilies are often associated with peace, purity and innocence. But some in the new age movement say they harmonize conflicts and help with negativity. Despite what one may say they do, we all know they are pleasing to the eye and bring beauty to any room.
IDENTIFY PEACE LILY - SPATHIPHYLLUM
Peace Lily is native to tropical regions of the Americas and southeastern Asia. It originates from the tropical rainforests of Colombia and Venezuela, a real shadow plant which loves a warm, humid environment. In 1870 the plant was introduced into Europe and has experienced a huge amount of development since then. In the 80’s there were a few varieties of the wallisii type, now there are many cultivars.
It is an evergreen herbaceous perennial plants which has glossy green leaves, and pure white hooded flowers. It grows to about 30 to 40 cm tall, and its white blooms are limited to spring and early summer months in nature. The flowers last on the plant for many weeks, before slowly turning green - a very long lasting show.
Despite this seasonal market limitation, spathiphyllum grew in popularity and led early plant breeders to attempt to develop new cultivars. Over 40 named spathiphyllum cultivars were developed by breeders and became available to consumers. Spathiphyllum growers dramatically improved market share by shifting the crop from a traditional foliage crop to the year-round flowering potted plant category. Gibberellic acid treatment allowed growers to sell smaller pot sizes in bloom.
PEACE LILY - SPATHIPHYLLUM CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Peace Lily makes an outstanding indoor plant, as it will grow, and even flower, in extremely low light. However, as with all flowering plants, a brighter light will encourage better flowering. If grown outdoors, ensure that it is shaded from strong or direct sun. Peace Lilies should not be placed in direct sun or they will sunburn.
Temperature:
Spathiphyllum enjoy warm conditions between 20-30º C daytime temperature and prefer and 7 degree drop at nighttime. Cold, and drafty conditions less than about 15º will slow growth considerably. Extended periods below 5º can damage leaves, stems and roots.
Humidity:
For Peace Lily, the humidity of above 25-30% is best but it will tolerate long periods down to 10-15%.
Substrate and growing media:
Spathiphyllum usually are grown in pot and will flourish in almost any well drained soil. Most growers use a mixture containing peat moss, bark and sand. If grown outdoors, the soil should be rich, well drained, and fairly constantly moist (but not soggy, as the plant will rot). It appreciates high humidity, and warm temperatures warm (minimum temperatures should be between 16-21°C).
Watering:
Peace Lily can be thirsty plants. The plants let you know quickly when they are thirsty by a noticeably droop in the foliage. They'll bounce back quickly once watered. Depending on the indoor environment watering should be weekly. Many people overwater the plant keeping the soil soggy. Soil should be kept moist but not soggy. The soil should dry out between waterings. Excessive drying out can cause the plant to wilt and yellowing of leaves and edges.
One thing to keep in mind: during the summer months if your Peace Lily sits in a bright or warm area you may notice a "droop" in the foliage late in the day even if the plant is moist. The plant may not really need water. Make sure you don't over water the plant. If the heat is too much and the leaves "droop" every day you may begin to see some brown tips or edges. Move the plant to a more protected area or cooler space if possible. Next time you’re ready to pour water on your Peace Lily, wait - let them droop (just a little).
Fertilizer:
When grown indoors Peace Lily have most no need to be fertilized. If you must fertilize, any well balanced fertilizer will maintain growth. Pelleted fertilizers also work - read instructions carefully. Indoors plants grow slower and therefore have lower requirements for food. Over fertilizing can produce burning of tips and roots.
Pest and disease:
One of the great benefits of using Spathiphyllum inside is that they have few pest problems. Mealy bugs are probably the most common insect indoors. Most problems occur on the growing end when liners are first planted. Root and stem diseases are the most common problem and this is usually associated with over watering. Because of the wide leaves that most Peace Lilies have, cleaning the leaves regularly with a damp cloth to remove dust will help not only in appearance but also in removing of some pest which tend to gather under the bottom of leaves.
Propagation:
As your peace lily grows from year to year, it develops a rhizome, or horizontal stem growing just under the soil surface, that can be divided to propagate a new plant. Divide your peace lily just before or after the plant blooms.
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