I dropped in at a Home Depot earlier this month to stroll through the indoor and outdoor greenhouses. This is the time of year when everyone and their grandmothers set up temporary sections in or around their retail businesses to sell as many plants and thingamajigs as possible to the outdoor garden buffs. In these overstocked – sometimes pseudo – garden centers, you will find oodles of annuals, biennials, perennials, trees, shrubs, vines, creepers, climbers, herbs, roses and bulbs. You’ll also find soil mixes, fertilizers, mulches, planters, garden tools, sprinklers and many other accessories and so-called necessities. (Can you possibly get through the gardening season without spending about $24.99 for the polyresin owl that you’re convinced will keep your backyard paradise free from squirrels, rabbits and birds with its ‘intimidating’ rotating head that also bops up and down? How long before crows and squirrels - at the very least - figure out it’s a phony and trash your garden while the bopping head looks on? And wouldn’t it be astonishing if you discovered a few of the more ‘enterprising’ furry or feathery critters sitting on the rotating head and going for a little merry-go-round joyride?)

And it doesn’t even stop there; the bigger the store, the larger the selection. You’ll even find items such as BBQs, sheds, patio furniture, gazebos, awnings, bird feeders, lighting, benches, stepping stones, wind chimes, swings, hammocks, umbrellas, swimming pools and on and on! “Buy! Buy! Buy! Spend! Spend! Spend!” That’s the tune this time of year. And everyone is in on the game. I’d never seen so many people at Home Depot as I did that day, and all with their wallets in hand ready to Buy! Buy! Buy! Spend! Spend! Spend! In addition, the ‘spenders’ looked happy and relaxed; no doubt looking forward to taking home their newly-acquired gardening goods and putting them to use.

But not everyone was in good spirits. The employees dealing with the crowds - and the questions and the purchases and the heat and the plants - did not look happy at all. Or relaxed. Or interested in putzing around their gardens- or any garden for that matter. They looked overworked, stressed, disheveled and hot. In addition, they had this crazed look in their eyes that clearly said “I hate spring - and all these stupid plants - and the heat – and the crowds - and I hope the weather drops to freezing levels and kills everything in this store so I won’t HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS MADNESS FOR ONE MORE MINUTE!” And it’s that look that brought my favourite blogger from “Plants Are The Strangest People” to mind because he works in a greenhouse and I pictured him in the heat and overworked and stressed. And with that crazed look in his eyes.

And I suddenly felt guilty for hanging around in the outdoor greenhouse – even though I had no intention on buying anything since I don’t have an outdoor garden – so I went to the indoor greenhouse where it was free of customers, except for me, which was terrific for whoever was managing that area. And my guilt dissolved since I was now in a territory that was much less demanding and didn’t cause stress. Or crazed looks. Anyhow, I was absolutely astonished at how many houseplants were available (and how healthy they were) because the selection usually sucks in indoor greenhouses while the outdoor gardening extravaganza is taking place. But since it was just a few days after Mother’s day, I suppose that explained it. What I noticed, aside from the impressive variety of plants, was the great quantity of Spathiphyllums. There were oodles of them – and they looked fabulous. I was awfully tempted to take one home, but I already have one, so I didn’t. But since you’re here and I’m here, and Spathiphyllums are on my mind, I may as well write a little about their care from my experience. So here goes...


Caring For A Spathiphyllum

Although I’m convinced (and I tell anyone who’ll listen) that I’m not the biggest fan of the ordinary, green-leaved Peace Lilies, I find myself captivated by them whenever I walk into a greenhouse. It could be their glossy, dark green, lance-shaped leaves that cast a spell over me. It could be the showy, arum-shaped, white spathes that cup a yellow spadix that I find appealing. Or it may be a combination of both of these features. Whatever it is, my home is always graced by the presence of one of these lovely plants. And they really are lovely, though I truly believe they are somewhat overrated.

Spathiphyllums do not always look good, as you may have been told. At least not without you putting some effort into it. And they certainly do have some intricate and sometimes maddening characteristics that place them in the ‘buyer beware’ category, albeit at a moderate level; they’re not that bad. For the most part, they are fairly easy to grow with very few standard requirements to stay healthy and happy. So it’s not that they have unrealistic needs that can’t be met - like astronomical levels of humidity or temperature adjustments between night and day that can’t possibly be produced inside the home. No, none of that. What they do have is ‘issues’, annoying little nuances that you have to work through – with them. If there was such a thing as a plant psychiatrist, Spathiphyllums would be regular patients – for years. Okay, I’m exaggerating - just a tad, mind you.

The main issue with Spathiphyllums, commonly-referred to as Peace Lilies and even Spaths, is the ‘water juggling dance’ that is associated with them, and something you will have to master to a reasonable level if you want your plant to be reasonably issue-free. They do not like drying out completely. If you forget to water them, they will ‘faint’ slowly until the leaves hang listlessly and pitifully by the side of the pot (a few hours after watering, the plant will lift itself back up). This academy award-winning performance (a little thick, if you ask me) can last for hours, and even days, before the foliage totally collapses. Spathiphyllums have no shame; they make it crystal clear – with a nervous breakdown - when they are under-watered, which can prove useful if you’re the type of grower that needs an obvious hint that it’s time to water. And really, if you haven’t noticed that your plant is thirsty after this lengthy dramatization, you shouldn’t be growing a Spathiphyllum – or any plant for that matter.

If you over-water them regularly, they will inevitably succumb to rot. But unlike the theatrics associated with over-watering, their reaction to this predicament is usually – for lack of a better word – ‘discreet’. One day, as you’re cleaning some leaves free of dust, an entire stalk will tumble out of the pot – with a rootless and rotted bottom. So, usually, there’ll be no warning that there’s a problem if you’re heavy-handed with the watering can; pieces of the plant will fade away discreetly. I use the word usually because as the roots begin to die from chronic over-watering, the plant won’t be able to draw up water and it will at times – you guessed it – faint slowly until the leaves hang listlessly and pitifully by the side of the pot.

So what is a grower to do?

The first thing I would suggest is to use an airy, fast-draining medium that is incapable of remaining soaked for lengthy periods, which will allow you to water to your heart’s content. The only downside to this is that you will have to check on your plant regularly to avoid under-watering, especially if the plant is grown where the temperature is high and humidity is low. But since Spathiphyllums send a clear message when they are thirsty as opposed to no message when they’re drowning, erring on the side of under-watering is probably a safer bet. Just don’t take advantage of the plant’s ability to lift itself up after severe thirst. Every time you carry out this watering blunder some roots die back, and if repeated often enough, there’ll come a time when the plant will collapse for good.

Keep the soil evenly moist during the active growing season and never allow it to dry out completely. During the colder months of the year when most plants are enjoying a rest period, allow your Spathiphyllum’s medium to dry out a little more, but even then, never entirely. Although susceptibility to chemicals in tap water is debatable amongst houseplant hobbyists, it is possible, so why not take some precautions? At the very least, fill up a container of water and let it sit for twenty four hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate before using it to quench your plant’s thirst. You can also use distilled or rain water if you’d like, although I don’t think it’s really necessary. And it goes without saying that these plants are perfect candidates for the hydroculture system, which will put an end completely to the water juggling madness. The plant will hang limply for awhile as it forms water roots, but once it converts, it will grow happily in its new system. Make sure to wash the roots free of soil; trim them back at least 1/3 to encourage new growth.

A lot of information has been included about watering techniques but that’s because most of the ‘issues’ surrounding Spathiphyllums stem from this. Once you begin to understand your plant’s watering demands and meet them appropriately, you’ll be one step closer to a harmonious coexistence with much fewer academy award-winning performances.

Peace Lilies have become exceedingly popular because – as you will often hear – they are one of the only – if not the only - flowering plants that will grow happily and bloom profusely in low light. And although it is true that they will adapt to shadier locations, they certainly won’t be happy about it nor will they feel like popping out the showy spathes that they’re famous for. Plants that fail to produce flowers very often need to be moved to brighter locations. So start off on the right foot (unless you don’t care for blooms) and choose a location that offers medium light in the summer and bright, indirect light during the winter. The leaves will burn in strong sunlight so keep the plant out of the direct path of the summer’s midday sun. The morning rays coming in through an eastern window (with a sheer curtain) make for an ideal location year round.

Humidity is not critical if it’s within a reasonable range but it will cause ‘issues’ in specimens that are grown in areas where the levels are extremely low. In very dry air, some of the leaves will be plagued by brown leaf tips and margins that are quite unsightly. In addition, that unpleasantness will spread and eventually devour most of the infected leaf if humidity is not increased to healthier levels. Place the plant on a pebble tray filled with water or add a humidifier nearby. Make sure you trim away dead tissue promptly; it will not recover.

And of course there’s the ‘issue’ of temperature, which is not nearly as problematic as watering but still something to pay attention to. Spathiphyllums like to be kept warm. In cold temperatures, those ugly black leaf tips and margins will rear their ugly head. Temperatures between 15°C (59°F) and 29°C (85°F) are fine, and although Spathiphyllums will tolerate levels as low as 13°C (55°F), exposure to temperatures that low should be brief. In addition, avoid these two detrimental combinations: 1) if the plant is growing in high temperatures, keep tabs on the soil to make sure it is not drying out quickly and 2) if the plant is growing in cooler temperatures, make sure the soil is not wet for extended periods.

Although opinions differ, my suggestion is that this plant should not be fed very often or in large quantities. Once a month – or every six weeks – from April to September with a mild fertilizer at ½ recommended strength seems to work just fine. Overfeeding can lead to brown spots, copper-coloured foliage and lack of blooms. In addition, never feed if the plant appears unhealthy.





Even with their sometimes intricate and maddening characteristics, it can be difficult to leave Spathiphyllums behind at the greenhouse; they are very pretty plants, in or out of bloom. And although they are not as carefree as people think, they are certainly not the most difficult to grow. So go ahead and give in to temptation if you must. If you are able to get a proper grip on the watering can, you’ll have put to rest most of the ‘issues’ that plague this award-winning performer.

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