Peace lilies are very popular because they’re very pretty and taking care of them isn’t too difficult. This doesn’t mean that you can neglect the needs of the plant, though.
If your peace lily isn’t looking too hot, you might wonder if you’ve made some mistakes. When your plant isn’t getting a lot of sunlight, you might wonder if that could be what’s wrong.
Do peace lilies need sunlight or can they thrive in low-light environments? Keep reading to learn more so you can ensure that you’re meeting the basic needs of your plant.
Peace Lilies Do Well in Low-Light Conditions
You’ll be happy to hear that peace lilies do quite well in low light conditions. This is one of the reasons why they’re so commonly seen in offices and other indoor settings.
Plants such as this can keep on living and growing even when they aren’t getting a ton of sun. This doesn’t mean that they don’t need light at all, but they do better when they’re placed in shade or partial shade.
So long as you’re giving the peace lily some indirect sunlight, it’s going to do pretty well. These plants can stay healthy when placed in either low or bright indirect sunlight.
If you need a good plant for an office that doesn’t get a lot of sunlight, a peace lily is the perfect plant to buy. It’ll stay healthy so long as you care for it properly.
Direct Sunlight Can Be Bad
Direct sunlight can actually be very bad for peace lily plants. You see, these plants are sensitive to direct sunlight.
If you were to place the plant in bright direct sunlight, it would have its leaves scorched. This will significantly stress the plant.
You might even wind up killing the plant if you’re not careful. Even if you aren’t keeping it in a low-light environment, it’s imperative to protect it from direct sunlight exposure.
Try your best to give the plant indirect sunlight by placing it in a good spot. Remember that this plant doesn’t need a lot of sunlight to do well.
They Won’t Grow Too Well with No Sun at All
As with most plants, peace lilies do need some sunlight to be able to keep growing. They don’t need a lot of it, but they will need more than nothing.
Try to find a spot in your office where the plant will have access to indirect sunlight for several hours each day. It’ll grow better if it has access to bright indirect sunlight.
You can keep it in low light so long as it’s getting some sunlight. Protect it from harsh sunlight while ensuring that it has access to at least a bit of light during the day.
Temperature Issues
Even though peace lilies can do well in offices, you’re still going to need to watch out for temperature issues. Problems with the temperature can occur in offices that are either too cold or too hot.
It’s more likely that you’re going to have issues with the office being too cold, though. These are tropical plants that do best in temperatures that are above 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
They can survive in temperatures that are at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but they might not do as well. If your office is cold and drafty, that could easily become an issue for the plant.
Try your best to keep your peace lily plant away from drafty windows and vents. If the plant gets too close to cool air, it might wind up looking worse for wear.
Humidity Issues
You should also be aware of the potential for humidity issues to negatively impact your plant. As mentioned above, peace lilies are considered to be tropical plants.
Tropical plants generally thrive in humid environments. Sometimes office environments will be dry, and this will cause your plant to have a tough time.
If the office isn’t humid enough for the peace lily, you could try to improve the environment. Some people will go so far as to place small humidifiers in their offices to keep these houseplants happy.
You could also try regularly misting the leaves with water. This is a simple way to artificially add humidity to the air near the plant.
How to Water Peace Lily Plants
Watering peace lily plants won’t be all that tough. You just have to ensure that you consistently water the plant to keep it healthy.
It’s best to keep the soil moist without letting it completely dry out. However, you need to be careful not to water it too much.
Watering a plant too much can potentially harm it significantly. If you keep watering it more than necessary, your peace lily plant could wind up rotting.
When you water a plant more than you’re supposed to, it essentially drowns the plant. The plant isn’t capable of absorbing nutrients and doing what it needs to do.
Thankfully, it’s easy enough to avoid issues such as this if you’re paying attention. When the top inch of the soil is dry, you’re supposed to water the plant thoroughly.
Don’t allow it to sit in water. Ensure that the plant is draining properly and never allow it to sit in the saucer with the overflow water.
It’s also wise to ensure that the peace lily is potted using soil that drains well. If you do all of this, it should do quite well in an office environment.
Do Peace Lilies Need Fertilizer?
Peace lilies don’t necessarily need fertilizer to stay healthy. You can give them fertilizer if you’d like to help them grow, but you need to do so carefully.
These plants aren’t considered to be heavy feeders, and this means that they should only be fed occasionally. If you want to encourage the plant to grow during the spring and summer, that’s fine.
You can fertilize them every six weeks during the growing season. It’s best to use a balanced houseplant fertilizer to get the job done starting in the late winter.
If you go overboard with fertilizer, you can harm the plant. This means that you must follow the instructions on the fertilizer that you’re using.
Often, it’s safer to dilute the fertilizer a bit to avoid issues with it being too strong. If you’re worried about making a mistake, it’s fine to simply avoid using fertilizer.
Final Thoughts
Peace lilies are incredible houseplants that can survive and do well in low light settings. If you’re looking for an office plant that can stay healthy and look nice even though it won’t have access to bright light, you’ll be happy with a peace lily.
Since they don’t need much light to survive, it’ll be fine to keep them in low indirect light when necessary. The plant might grow stronger if it’s placed in bright indirect sunlight, though.
You simply have to make sure not to put the plant in direct sunlight. Doing so will cause the plant to get scorched and it might not survive.
Do your best to meet the care requirements of the plant so that you can keep your peace lily looking great. It’ll be a source of happiness in your office for a long time to come.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.