How Long do Peace Lilies Live?

True lilies are the species that make up the genus Lilium. Meanwhile, peace lilies refer to a number of species that can be found in the genus Spathiphyllum, which isn’t just a separate genus but a separate genus in a separate family. After all, the genus Lilium is in the family Liliaceae while the genus Spathiphyllum is in the family Araceae. As such, it should be very clear that peace lilies aren’t considered to be true lilies. Having said that, peace lilies are very popular houseplants in their own right. They are pleasing to the senses. Furthermore, it has been proven that peace lilies are capable of cleaning up certain gaseous contaminants that can be found in their living environment, though the evidence suggests that the effect isn’t powerful enough to make it practical to plant them for that purpose.

How Long Do Peace Lilies Live?

It isn’t possible to come up with a 100 percent accurate prediction for a peace lily’s lifespan, which makes sense because it isn’t possible to come up with a 100 percent accurate prediction for anything’s lifespan. Instead, interested individuals are going to need to make do with a very general range of numbers. In the case of peace lilies, that would be an average of three to five years. Of course, it is very much possible for a particular peace lily’s lifespan to fall outside of this range. For example, peace lilies are relatively easy to take care of. Even so, it is very much possible for a poorly-treated one to die long before reaching this point. Conversely, if interested individuals take good care of their peace lilies, it might be possible for them to keep their peace lilies going for a longer period of time than otherwise possible. This doesn’t necessarily mean exceeding three to five years. A well-cared-for peace lily might do so. However, it is also possible that its lifespan will just fall towards the higher end of that range.

They Are an Indoor Plant

It makes sense that peace lilies can be grown outdoors under the right conditions. Unfortunately, those right conditions are very rare in the United States, as shown by how they can be found in just Puerto Rico as well as certain parts of Hawaii. Elsewhere, peace lilies are not well-suited for the outdoors to say the least, which explains why people tend to talk about them as indoor plants rather than outdoor plants.

They Need Consistent Temperatures

Unsurprisingly, peace lilies need consistent temperatures of 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, they need to be protected from sudden bursts of colder temperatures. To name an example, those who like to put their houseplants close to doors and windows that open out to a much colder environment might want to avoid doing that for their peace lilies. Otherwise, they can expect these houseplants to suffer for that mistake.

They Don’t Need a Lot of Light

Even though peace lilies are restricted to certain climates, they are famous for being relatively undemanding in other respects. For instance, one of the reasons they are so popular as houseplants is that they can do just fine under either shade or partial shade. On top of that, peace lilies are even capable of doing well with fluorescent lights, thus further expanding the range of indoor environments in which they can be grown.

They Should Be Fertilized Using Organic Fertilizer

Peace lilies can benefit from being fertilized in spring and summer. Apparently, they can have a bad reaction to non-organic fertilizers. As a result, interested individuals might want to look into organic fertilizers that won’t cause any issues for these houseplants.

Water Them When They Start to Sag

These houseplants don’t need to be watered on a regular basis. However, they do need to be given a lot of water at the same time before being given the chance to dry out. Interested individuals can tell that peace lilies need to be watered when they start to sag. Generally speaking, this means watering them once a week. Furthermore, interested individuals should spritz their leaves with water throughout the summertime.

Good Drainage Is Critical

As mentioned earlier, good drainage is critical. This is because peace lilies are very susceptible to root rot, which is often caused by microorganisms that find excessive levels of moisture to be very hospitable. As such, put peace lilies in containers with drainage holes, though make sure to put a saucer in place for the purpose of catching the water that drains out. If interested individuals notice that these houseplants are wilting, they should check to see if the roots are firm and light-colored rather than soggy. The last could be a sign that the peace lilies are either being overwatered or the water isn’t draining as it should be.

Watch Out For Other Potential Problems

There are other potential problems that interested individuals should watch out for. For example, browning or yellowing leaves might indicate the presence of small pests. If so, remove those small pests by wiping them off before spraying the leaves with an insecticidal soap. Meanwhile, yellow leaves can also indicate that the plant is getting too much light while leaves that are browning at the tips might indicate that the plant is getting too much of either water or fertilizer.

They Tend to Bloom in the Spring

Peace lilies tend to bloom in the spring. However, well-cared-for peace lilies might bloom in the fall as well. Once a bloom has faded, interested individuals can remove it by cutting it off at the base of the stem.

Keep Them Away From Children and Pets

These houseplants aren’t especially toxic. However, they are still something that neither people nor their pets will want to consume. As a result, it is a good idea to keep peace lilies away from children as well as pets to prevent that from happening. Besides this, interested individuals should also wash their hands whenever they have handled these houseplants. This is because they produce crystals that can irritate the skin, which won’t be a pleasant experience.