Peace Lily

The scientific name for the peace lily is Spathiphyllum. The peace lily received it colloquial name as it bears poetic resemblance to a white flag, which is associated with peace as it is the universal acknowledgment of a truce during battles. The cream or yellow colored spadix represents the pole while the white spathe that encloses it denotes the flag. It is occasionally also called 'White Sails', where the spathe represents the sails of a ship.

It is difficult to trace the origins of the peace lily. They were most likely a part of a swarm of 'stove plants' that the Victorians grew during the middle and latter half of the century. In recent times, German plant breeders have introduced over a dozen new varieties of Spathiplyllum into the Florida foliage market. It is yet to be seen if these newer free flowering varieties will take precedence over the original resilient peace lily.

The peace lily is an evergreen tropical plant that grows in clumps and is found in South and Central America and Southeast Asia. Spathiphyllum is a member of the Araceae family, which contains about 40 species of monocotyledonous flowering plants. Its flower is a single white leaf partially wrapped around a finger like knobby spathe. The bloom is a pristine white spadix which is usually 4 to 6 inches long. The peace lily's glossy leaves are about 12-65 cm long and 3-25 cm broad, and are produced on foot-long petioles from the branched rhizome, which is a creeping stem growing horizontally at the soil surface.

The flowers first appear when the plant is mature. It may bloom every couple of months if it is healthy and a few blooms appear at one time. The blooming of flowers is not restricted to any one season and is often erratic. In Spathiphyllum, the hormone gibberellic acid (GA) causes flowering. Cultivators control flowering precisely by using GA spray, and flowers appear about two months after its use.

This no-fuss plant does not require a great deal of attention or time spent in caring for it. A little effort produces wonderful results. As the peace lily is found on the forest floor of the rain forests in tropical America, it has the ability to cope with the poor lighting indoor areas usually have. However, it is unlikely to flower in places with extremely low levels of lighting. Areas bright enough to read a newspaper or areas with filtered sunlight are ideal places to keep this plant healthy.

While regular soil will do, the plant will benefit from the use of good commercial soil comprising of peat moss, bark, and sand. The soil must be kept moist, and watering the plant once a week will usually suffice. However, one must never leave the plant in standing water. A careful balance needs to be maintained, as one can allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Too much drying will result in wilting and yellowing of the leaves. The plant should be watered with room temperature water that ideally has been allowed to sit for 24 hours to allow the chlorine to evaporate.

Diluted liquid houseplant fertilizers can be applied every month during summer and spring. However, one must practice caution while doing this, as over fertilization can cause tips and roots to burn. Peace lilies must be kept in a warm environment, of about 68 °F to 85 °F daytime temperature and must be kept away from cold drafts. The plant should be re-potted when the container begins to get crowded. A house plant can be re-potted every 2 to 3 years to rejuvenate the soil.

For a plant to stay healthy and attractive, it is important to wipe the leaves with a damp cloth on a regular basis. This will take off the dust and enhance its appearance, as well as remove any pests that may have gathered on the underside of the leaves. Though not commonly encountered, mealybugs cause harm to these plants.

A wonderful quality of the peace lily is that it serves us by cleaning the indoor air of environmental contaminants such as benzene, formaldehyde and other pollutants. A NASA study placed the peace lily among the top ten plants for removing indoor chemicals, and improving the quality of the air that we breathe.

The only negative aspect of the peace lily is that it is mildly toxic. However, this does not pose a problem unless you have pets who like to feed on house plants. With proper care, this plant can adorn you home for several years.