Peace Lily Not Blooming? Here's A Sign It's Time To Turn To The Professionals

Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum spp.), also known as closet plants, are popular houseplants, and you can find all manner of hacks to help a peace lily flourish as an indoor plant online and off. If you own a peace lily and it will not bloom, you have a problem on your hands. The pretty white flowers are why most people grow this plant, after all. While the exact triggers for flowering are not fully understood, environmental conditions play a major role. If you're having no luck on your own, it may be time to enlist the services of a professional.

You might not have realized this yet, especially if you're new to these tropical houseplants, but your peace lily is not the flower you think it is. It is not a true lily at all, but a type of semi-evergreen, rhizomatous herb that is endemic to Mexico, tropical America, parts of Southeast Asia, and islands in the West Pacific. The specific warmth, high humidity, and shade of the peace lily's native environment can be challenging to mimic in some homes. But mimicking a houseplant's natural environment is what ensures they thrive. 

Any number of conditions could be leading to a lack of blooms, including too little or too much light, exposure to cold drafts, and other factors. As far as you can tell, you're doing everything you possibly can to make your peace lily happy. A clear sign it is time to call an expert is when you have addressed common issues and still see no improvement.

It is okay to be stumped despite extensive online research. Do not take it as a sign of failure if you need to call in the pros. An expert plant consultation is a smart next step. Peace lilies are generally considered easy houseplants to grow, so one that won't bloom no matter what you've tried likely has a pretty serious or hard-to-diagnose underlying problem. There's a variety of professional services your houseplant could benefit from, ranging from repotting to cleaning. But if your peace lily is not blooming, you probably need expert help beyond this routine maintenance. One option is to reach out to a local Master Gardener helpline, typically run through regional USDA Cooperative Extension programs. 

There are also services at reputable institutions, including universities and arboretums, to help diagnose plant issues. Experts at these institutions have in-depth knowledge, which could be the key to pinpointing your peace lily problem. The types of services and fees may range from one place to the next. For example, Purdue University operates a Plant & Pest Diagnostic Lab that primarily serves Indiana residents and university affiliates for a fee. Consider checking nearby colleges in your area. For online options, the Plant Clinic at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, welcomes questions via online form, phone call, and email. These professional programs employ specialists who can help diagnose why a peace lily is not blooming.