Photo: W.carter / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Peace lily

Spathiphyllum wallisii

زنبق السلام

A glossy, dark-leaved plant that flowers in modest light and droops to tell you it is thirsty. In Dubai, dry AC air and salty tap water show first as brown leaf tips.

Mature size0.3–1 m tall, 0.3–0.9 m spreadGrowthModerateSunPart shadeWaterModerate

Heat: 1 of 5

Salt: 1 of 5

Drought: 2 of 5

Shade: 4 of 5

Ease of care: 4 of 5

Use in a design Get it looked after

Season

Through the Dubai year

How Peace lily behaves through Dubai's seasons, month by month.

JJan

FFeb

MMar

AApr

MMay

JJun

JJul

AAug

SSep

OOct

NNov

DDec

Avg high °C

24°

26°

29°

34°

38°

40°

42°

40°

36°

31°

27°

Most active growth

Mar – Oct

Quarter-strength feed

Apr – Oct

Repot or divide

Feb – Apr

Hot glass and dry air

Jun – Sep

Check for mealybugs

Apr – Oct

Growth slows

Most active growth: Mar–Oct
Flowers can appear in any month with enough light; the RHS gives April to October for regular watering.
Quarter-strength feed: Apr–Oct
Clemson suggests every six to eight weeks; flush the pot between applications.
Repot or divide: Feb–Apr
NC State says February to March; the RHS says spring, dividing large clumps.
Hot glass and dry air: Jun–Sep
Brown leaf tips show first; keep out of afternoon sun and clear of AC vents.
Check for mealybugs: Apr–Oct
Look under the leaves and wipe dust off with a damp cloth.
Growth slows: Dec–Feb
Water more lightly; the RHS says to reduce watering slightly in winter.

Peace lily stays evergreen or semi-evergreen indoors, and flowers can appear in any month if the light is good enough (NC State gives no set bloom time). The RHS has the growing season running from April to October, which is when to water once the top few centimetres dry out and feed at quarter strength. In July and August keep it out of afternoon sun through glass and away from the AC airflow, since brown tips show first. From December to February growth slows, so water more lightly and expect fewer new spathes.

Meet the plant

Meet the Peace lily

Meet the peace lily, a plant that communicates. Let it get thirsty and the whole clump sinks, leaves hanging like wet cloth; water it promptly and, as the RHS notes, it soon recovers with no ill effects. For anyone who forgets plants, that dramatic droop is a kindness: few houseplants give such a clear warning.

The white 'flower' is a spathe, a modified leaf that wraps a spike of tiny true flowers, held above a mounded clump of glossy, dark green leaves. It comes from tropical forests in Central America and Colombia (RHS), where it grows in shade, which is why it copes with dimmer rooms than most flowering plants and scorches in direct sun. It still flowers best with bright, indirect light.

The mood is calm and clean: deep green with white accents sits easily against pale walls and stone floors, and the upright spathes catch the light in a dim corner. It suits a lounge or bedroom, where the leaves can be seen from the sofa.

Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) are clump-forming arums from tropical forests in Central America and Colombia, with other species across tropical America and the western Pacific. The white 'flower' is a spathe, a petal-like bract, around a spike of tiny flowers. NC State notes that an indoor plant typically reaches about a metre across, and that it flowers freely with no set bloom time.

It wants bright, indirect light and no direct sun (UF/IFAS, RHS), but tolerates dim rooms, flowering less. Brown, papery tips are the typical complaint in Dubai, with three overlapping causes: air conditioning dries the air, fertiliser and tap-water salts build up in the pot (NC State), and the fluoride in tap water, which the RHS says can damage the foliage. Filtered or bottled water is the safer choice.

Water when the top few centimetres of compost have dried (RHS), and more lightly in winter. UF/IFAS rates it as not salt tolerant, so if a white crust forms on the compost or pot rim, flush the pot through with plenty of water and let it drain fully. NC State advises feeding at quarter strength and flushing the soil between applications, says watering from below works very well, and suggests keeping the plant somewhat pot-bound. The RHS adds a small habit worth copying: turn the pot a quarter turn at each watering, so the clump does not lean towards the window.

Peace lily 'Mauna Loa' was one of the species in NASA's 1989 study of indoor air, but that experiment used small sealed chambers. A 2019 review concluded that matching ordinary ventilation would take 10 to 1,000 plants per square metre of floor, so grow it for the foliage and flowers, not for cleaner air.

Design

Where to use it

Low-light flowering accentSide table or consoleBedroom or loungeEntrance hall

Put peace lily where you want a clean white accent in a room that gets bright, indirect light but no direct sun: a console in a hallway, a side table in a lounge, the corner of a bedroom a couple of metres from a window. Its upright spathes show up against a darker wall. Keep it out of the airflow from an AC vent, and give it a bright bathroom if there is a window, where slightly moister air helps the leaf tips.

Pothos

Pothos shares peace lily's tolerance of moderate light, and its trailing stems soften the edge of the shelf or table where the upright clump stands.

Snake plant

Snake plant's stiff, upright blades contrast with peace lily's broad, arching leaves, though it wants far less water, so keep their pots separate.

Areca palm

An areca palm's feathery fronds make a fine-textured backdrop to the broad glossy leaves and white spathes of a peace lily.

Care guide

How to grow it in Dubai

Watering: Summer: Water once the top few centimetres of compost have dried, often once or twice a week in a cool AC room. Filtered or bottled water avoids tap-water fluoride and salts; flush the pot through from time to time and let it drain fully.
Winter: Water a little less often as growth slows; keep the compost barely moist but never soggy.
Soil: A potting mix high in organic matter that still drains freely; NC State suggests keeping it somewhat pot-bound. Always use a pot with drainage holes.
Feeding: A balanced liquid houseplant fertiliser at quarter strength every six to eight weeks in spring and summer (Clemson), flushing the soil between feeds.
Pruning: Cut spent spathes and yellowed leaves at the base, and wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to remove dust.
Planting: Repot in spring only when roots fill the pot, into a pot a few centimetres larger; divide large clumps at the same time.
Pests: MealybugsScale insects

Avoid these

Common mistakes

Using untreated tap water and feeding heavily, then wondering about brown tips. Salts and fluoride build up in the pot; filtered water, quarter-strength feed and an occasional flush help.
Waiting for the droop every time. Letting it wilt repeatedly stresses the plant and yellows the leaves; water when the top few centimetres are dry.
Keeping it in a dark room and expecting flowers. The RHS says failure to flower is often down to too little light.
Leaving the pot standing in water. Compost that stays wet for long periods causes root rot and yellowing.
Placing it in direct afternoon sun through Dubai glass, which scorches the leaves.

Extra notes

Good to know

It is not a true lily. The ASPCA lists oral irritation, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing from calcium oxalate crystals, not the kidney damage associated with true lilies in cats.
The white 'flower' is a spathe, a modified leaf; the real flowers are the tiny ones on the spike inside it.
It was one of the plants in NASA's 1989 study of indoor air, but a 2019 review found that chamber results do not translate to ordinary rooms.
NC State says cold, draughty conditions between about 4 and 16°C slow growth considerably, so keep it out of the direct stream of an AC vent.

Toxicity: Toxic to dogs and cats, according to the ASPCA: insoluble calcium oxalate crystals cause oral irritation, burning of the mouth, tongue and lips, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. It is not a true lily (Lilium), and the ASPCA's listed signs do not include kidney failure. The RHS advises wearing gloves, as the sap can irritate skin.

Pros

Flowers in lower light than most houseplants, lifting a dim room
Droops clearly when thirsty and soon recovers once watered
Compact mounded clump suits a side table or the corner of a room
Glossy dark green leaves hold their colour all year in indirect light

Cons

Brown leaf tips in dry AC air and with salty or fluoridated tap water
Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed (ASPCA)
Not salt tolerant: tap-water minerals and heavy feeding burn tips and roots
Repeated drying out yellows the leaves

FAQ

Common questions

Why are the tips of my peace lily leaves brown?

In a Dubai flat the usual causes are dry air from air conditioning, fertiliser or tap-water salts building up in the pot, and fluoride in tap water. Switch to filtered water, feed at quarter strength, flush the pot and keep it out of the AC airflow.

Why does my peace lily keep drooping?

Thirst is the most common reason. The RHS says that if you water promptly the plant should soon recover with no ill effects. Constant drooping with wet compost points to overwatering and root rot instead.

Will a peace lily flower in low light?

It will tolerate low light and is one of the few foliage plants that can flower in it (Clemson), but the RHS says failure to flower is often due to too little light. A bright spot out of direct sun gives the best display.

Is peace lily toxic to cats and dogs?

Yes. The ASPCA lists it as toxic to both, due to calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth and throat. It is not a true lily, but it should still be kept out of reach.

Does a peace lily really clean the air?

It was tested in NASA's 1989 study, but that used small sealed chambers. A 2019 review found you would need 10 to 1,000 plants per square metre of floor to match ordinary ventilation, so enjoy it for the leaves and flowers.

Not sure how it suits your garden?

Ask about Peace lily on WhatsApp