What to Do When Peace Lily Leaves Droop? Causes and Solutions

The peace lily, also known as white sail, spathe flower, and peace lily, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Spathiphyllum in the Araceae family. It is native to tropical regions of the Americas and is now widely cultivated around the world. It is very beautiful when in bloom, and even when not flowering it is an excellent indoor potted foliage plant that can also purify the air. Now let us take a look at what to do when peace lily leaves droop!

What to Do When Peace Lily Leaves Droop?

1. Lack of water: Peace lilies will develop drooping leaves when short of water. Generally, in this case, they can recover a few hours after watering.

2. Light: Peace lilies will develop drooping leaves under too strong light. They should be cared for in bright, indirect light with good ventilation, and appropriate shading is also acceptable.

3. Acclimation: If a peace lily has just been bought, it needs a period of acclimation. Simply water it well and let it acclimate in a cool, shaded place.

4. Humidity: Peace lilies will develop drooping leaves in environments with low humidity and poor ventilation. In this case, spray more water to increase humidity.

What to Do When Peace Lily Leaves Turn Yellow?

1. Too much light: Under too strong light, peace lilies will show curled leaves, scorched edges, and yellowing. They should be moved to a semi-shaded environment to avoid direct sunlight.

2. Insufficient humidity: When humidity is below 50%, peace lilies will show yellow leaves, scorched edges, curled leaves, and withering. Air humidity should be kept between 70 and 90%.

3. Improper watering: When growing peace lilies, do not let the potting soil stay wet all the time, and even more so do not let the potting soil dry out. Moist is best, because peace lilies are neither drought-tolerant nor waterlogging-tolerant.

4. Improper fertilizing: Fertilize peace lilies with dilute fertilizer. Do not apply concentrated fertilizer or unfermented fertilizer, and after applying solid fertilizer, water once with clear water. It is best to use dilute fertilizer solution instead of clear water for watering.

5. Pest damage: Peace lily leaves turn yellow due to pest damage. Control should focus mainly on hand-picking, with spraying as secondary. Eco-friendly applications such as chili water and cigarette butt soak solution can also be sprayed for control.

How to Grow Peace Lilies So They Thrive?

1. Soil: Peace lilies require loose soil with good drainage and aeration. Heavy clay soil must not be used. Fertile loam rich in humus is best. A substrate can be made by mixing leaf mold and peat soil with a small amount of perlite, and a small amount of organic fertilizer can be added as a base fertilizer when planting.

2. Light: Peace lilies are fairly shade-tolerant and must never be exposed to direct sunlight. About 60% indirect light is sufficient. Therefore, they can be kept year-round indoors in a spot with bright, indirect light. If placed under strong light, the leaf surface will turn yellow and may even be directly sunburned.

3. Temperature: Peace lilies like high temperatures and are especially afraid of cold. The most suitable growing temperature is 20 to 28°C, and the lowest temperature they can tolerate is 10°C. Being kept at low temperatures for a long time will cause root rot, leaf drop, or scorched yellow leaves, and in severe cases may even lead to death.

4. Watering: Peace lilies must be kept with moist potting soil often, but overwatering should be avoided. Once overwatered, root rot and plant yellowing and withering are very likely. In summer and during dry periods, spray water on the leaves and ground frequently to increase air humidity.

5. Fertilizing: Do not apply concentrated fertilizer or unfermented fertilizer to peace lilies, and after applying solid fertilizer, water once with clear water. It is best to use dilute fertilizer solution instead of clear water for watering. In this way, fertilizer burn generally will not occur, and the plant will grow very lushly.

6. Pests and diseases: During the growing period, peace lilies are especially favored by pests. Acaricides should be sprayed regularly for control, such as dicofol, hexythiazox, and pyridaben. For bacterial leaf spot, brown spot, and anthracnose, 50% carbendazim wettable powder at 500 times dilution can be sprayed.

7. Repotting: Peace lilies have strong tillering ability. Repot once every 1 to 2 years. When repotting, pay attention to trimming the roots and cutting off withered leaves. Divide overly dense plants and pot them separately, remove some old roots and overly long roots, pick out the old soil, and replace it with new growing medium to promote flowering.