These tricks to get your peace lily to flower endlessly are easy to master for both novice and seasoned gardeners!
Your peace lilies have much more potential than you think. We have brought you a few easy tricks so you can get your peace lily blooming again and again.
How Does Peace Lily Flower?
You will be surprised to learn that peace lilies don’t produce real flowers since they belong to the Arum family. The flower structure that you see is actually a modified flower-like leaf, which is known as a spathe.
It all starts with a small, inconspicuous bud that slowly swells. This green pod opens to a yellow, poker-shaped structure called the spadix. Tucked neatly inside the spadix are the peace lily’s true flowers. The spathe takes centre stage for weeks, but eventually turns green as the hidden flowers finish their bloom. You might even see a little green cob develop on the spadix—that’s the plant’s fruit, a sign of a successful flowering cycle.
How To Get Your Peace Lily To Flower Endlessly?
1. Pick an Aged Plant
This is the first point of consideration if you want your peace lily to bloom, as young plants won’t produce any flowers naturally, no matter how hard you try. Although its a common sight in the nurseries and stores where they use commercial hormones to induce blooming—something you’d definitely not want.
A peace lily must be a at least 1-2 year old to be able to produce those white spathes naturally. So have a word with the gardeners at the nursury before getting a Peace Lily to your home.
2. Hit the Right Sunlight Balance
Peace Lilies do well even in the shadiest corners of the house, but that might keep the plant from producing those pretty spathes. However, that doesn’t mean they appreciate the harsh rays of the mid-day sun. Hence, the best spot would be near the north or east-facing windows where these plants can enjoy the dappled morning sunlight.
If your place doesn’t receive sunlight at all, consider investing in some grow lights and leave them on for 6-8 hours a day.
3. Feed Your Plant Well
During spring and summer, when your peace lily is actively growing, give it a gentle feeding with a balanced fertiliser like NPK once a month. But never overfeed. Use a quater-strength solution to avoid burning the roots. A lack of nutrients can zap your peace lily’s blooming energy, so this monthly feeding will provide the essential boost it needs to produce flowers.
4. Water Wisely
The secret to watering peace lilies sufficiently is achieving consistently moist soil that is not soggy. Every time you plan to water your plant, first, just stick your finger into the soil about an inch deep. If it feels dry, it’s watering time. Drench the pot thoroughly until water runs out of the drainage holes. Then, discard any excess water that collects in the saucer to prevent root rot.
5. Add Organic Matter in the Potting Mix
A little bit of organic matter, like worm castings, can provide slow-release nutrients for your peace lily. You can also look for potting mixes specifically formulated for aroids like peace lilies. These often contain a blend of bark, coir, perlite, and activated charcoal to induce an accelerated flower growth in your peace lilies.
Hot Tip: Don’t bother adding fertilizers if you’ve used organic matter in the medium.
6. Fulfill its Temperature and Humidity Needs
Peace lilies are happiest in warm environments, ideally between 65 and 75°F. Avoid placing them near cold drafts from windows or hot spots near vents that can disrupt their flowering cycle.
They love warm, humid environments just like their tropical origins. To meet this requirement, you may group your peace lily with other moisture-loving plants, use a pebble tray filled with water placed under the pot and ensure the pot sits above the waterline, or mist the plant occasionally with filtered or room-temperature water.
7. Keep it Slightly Root Bound
This is an underrated trick to induce flowering and pup formation in houseplants. The idea behind keeping a plant slightly root bound is sending it into survival mode. Cramped roots tricks the plant to think that their end is near, hence sending signals to end their reproductive i.e., flowering stage.
Plus, as the roots don’t get enough room to spread, the plant utilizes its energy to send out more spathes.
Bonus Tips For Flowering Peace lilies Endlessly
Apart from fulfilling its basic needs, here’s something that most people overlook:
- Pinch off the brown leaves, dead blooms, and the yellow foliage at the bottom everytime you spot them. This will divert the plant’s energy in producing more spathes rather than exhausting them on those oldies.
- Peace lilies act as natural air purifiers, but dust buildup can hinder their performance. Wipe leaves gently with a damp cloth to keep them sparkling clean.
- Keep your peace lily pest-free. Do regular check-ups to keep the plant healthy and disease-free.
