Keep Your Peace Lilies Healthy And Thriving With One Essential Sunlight Tip

A perennial favorite among houseplant lovers, peace lilies (Spathiphyllum spp.) bring a vibrant, exotic look to any space. Between their glossy, emerald-green leaves and distinct white blooms, they're a show-stopping pick that's relatively easy to care for. As a bonus, they make great air-purifying houseplants. If you're looking to improve the air quality in your space and help clean mold spores from your home's air, they're a solid option.

That said, there is one big thing you'll need to look out for if you want your peace lilies to thrive indoors — namely, how much light they're receiving. Though these flowering plants need sunlight to promote the growth of those gorgeous blooms, they can easily get damaged by it. If you notice that your peace lilies look wilted and aren't producing flowers, or the tips of their leaves look brown and burnt, try relocating them to a room with east-facing windows. That way, they'll receive a moderate amount of light that's mostly soft and indirect.

Wild peace lilies are native to the floors of tropical rainforests and, when planted indoors, don't need much sun to survive. That's why they're such a popular pick for compact, dimly lit apartments and other spaces that don't get a ton of natural light. In fact, with prolonged exposure to hot, harsh direct light, their glossy leaves and white flowers can get scorched. Sun scorch begins on the leaves, identified by increasingly brown, dry tips. This will damage them on a surface level and can even delay the growth of future blooms.

As such, it's best to place your indoor peace lilies in a room that receives mostly indirect light, especially in the summer. Again, a room with east-facing windows is ideal. Since the sun only shines into east-facing windows in the early morning, the rays are not as harsh. However, any room that doesn't get overpowered by midday and afternoon sun will work just fine. Rooms with small east-facing windows (or even no windows), like bathrooms, laundry rooms, or entryways, are ideal. If you choose the bathroom, just make sure it has adequate ventilation and bright artificial lighting. Otherwise, pesky drafts of cold air or drastic fluctuations in temperature may do more harm than good to your peace lily.

Outside of their picky light requirements, peace lilies prefer regular watering and humid environments (like that of a bathroom). However, be mindful of what kind of water you're using on your plants. This species is sensitive to chemicals commonly found in tap water, such as fluoride. Tap water may even cause their leaves to turn brown. Switching to rainwater or distilled water and spraying your plant with a mister periodically should keep them happy. Alternatively, you can water your peace lily in the shower after you use it or permanently keep them on a bathroom shelf. They'll love soaking up the steam and humidity, and you'll love how it cuts down on the time spent painstakingly tending your plant. Keep your peace lilies' roots moist but not too wet, and allow the top 1 inch of the soil to dry out between waterings.

You'll also want to be wary of over-fertilizing your houseplant, which is another common mistake that is sure to kill your peace lily. Fertilizer can work well if applied every two to four weeks in spring and summer, but using it too much can lead to burning (browning) of the leaves and roots. Oh, and one more thing: If you have furry friends at home who like to munch on your houseplants, definitely steer clear of peace lilies! Their leaves are poisonous for animals if consumed in large quantities.