Don't Throw Out Your Peace Lily: Why The Flowers Died And How To Get Them To Re-Bloom

Getting gifted a beautiful, blooming peace lily (Spathiphyllum sp.) or picking one up from your local garden center is pretty exciting. These stunning houseplants have gorgeous white flowers that always look perfect when you first bring them into your home. But it can be pretty disappointing to see the flowers of your peace lily fall off, and the plant itself start to fade. However, don't throw out your peace lily if the flowers die. You just need to find the right environment and care routine for it to re-bloom. 

Your peace lily may have died because of improper watering or too much or too little fertilizer. Root and stem diseases are common in peace lilies, and these are caused by overwatering. However, like any plant, a peace lily will die from underwatering, too. Peace lilies can also die if exposed to colder temperatures for a long time. Avoid placing your peace lily somewhere that gets temperatures of under 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Thankfully, your peace lily can thrive and produce new, beautiful blooms if you ensure that it has the right light, temperature, water, and fertilizer. 

To help your peace lily flourish as an indoor houseplant, you need to make sure it is happy. If it isn't getting its needs met and is stressed, it won't have the energy and nutrients to put on flowers. Peace lilies don't like direct sunlight, but they also tend not to flower in deeper shade. Place yours somewhere where it will get bright, indirect light. An east-facing window that receives morning sun can work well for them. Alongside location needs, you also need to ensure your peace lily is getting its water needs met. Its soil should be kept moist, but let it dry out slightly between waterings. When watering your peace lily, always use room temperature water that you have left out overnight. Doing so will mean that any chlorine in the water has evaporated. 

It is also useful to consider fertilizing your peace lily to help it flower. However, more food does not always equal more flowers. In fact, the wrong fertilizer or too much can actually do more harm than good. Overfertilizing these plants can cause the roots and leaf tips to burn. When you do feed them, give them a balanced, liquid houseplant fertilizer every six to eight weeks. You only really need to feed them in spring and summer when they are putting on new growth and flowering. Always fertilize at one-quarter of the recommended strength.

Finally, patience is key when it comes to peace lilies. Just because they haven't flowered in months doesn't mean they won't flower again. Young plants tend to flower much less, so give your peace lily time to grow. Ensure that all their needs are met and, as you wait for those beautiful white flowers to return, enjoy the plant's dramatic, textured foliage.