I have very recently become the proud owner of this Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii). I love the way the bright shiny green leaves contrast with the monochrome décor surrounding it.
A few weeks ago, a fellow student in my RHS practical class brought in her own, rather pot-bound and over-crowded Peace Lily. We removed it from its old pot, divided it, and re-potted the divided sections, and behold! There were enough Peace Lily plants for all class members to take one home with them. I talk to it daily, and I’m really hoping it will produce one or two of its distinctive white flowers, this summer.
It’s been a while since I’ve had any house plants. I think they mostly died of neglect and consequent desiccation. However, the Peace Lily is the perfect choice of house plant for me. When it needs a drink, it lets me know by very visibly drooping in protest. Never fear though; if you water it immediately, it perks up straight away.
Caring for your Peace Lily
Be careful not to over-water your Peace Lily; apparently over-watering is the most common cause of all house-plant deaths over and above anything else. Do not place it in direct sunlight otherwise the leaves can get scorched. Most of the foliage of the Peace Lily grows directly out of the soil, so it is exactly right for propagating by division when it becomes root bound. And the re-potted sections make great gifts.
Why are Peace Lilies special?
Most of us understand that house plants make an important contribution to replenishing oxygen levels inside our rooms. Research undertaken by NASA has also found that Peace Lilies are particularly effective in removing two other chemicals from the air of enclosed spaces, both of which can be damaging to health, if their concentrations become too high.
The first of these is Benzene which is naturally given off by some paints, rubber, tobacco, smoke, detergents, and a variety of synthetic fibres. The second is Trichloroethylene, found in paint, glue and varnish and hence commonly given off by furniture.
Peace Lilies absorb these pollutants through their leaves, where they are transported down to the roots and eventually broken down by microbes in the soil. To optimise the air-purifying effect of your Peace Lily, make sure the soil surface in the pot is bare, rather than covered with ornamental gravel or potting grit, so pollutants can also be absorbed directly in to the soil.
I’d like to think that the air quality isn’t too bad in my room, and that my Peace Lily isn’t having to work too hard. Most importantly for me, I’ve enjoyed the calming quality that a bit of greenery brings to the room, and I shall be on the look out for other suitable pot-plants so I can continue to green up the rest of my indoor spaces.
