The Best Food for a Peace Lily

Description

• Peace lilies will thrive in indoor conditions and will produce showy bursts of white flowers, even in low light. The plants are sturdy and produce glossy, pointed, oval-shaped leaves that grow up from the soil. The flowers bloom for lengthy periods, starting out green and transitioning to a cream or white color. Ultimately, the plants reach 1 to 4 feet tall, although the cultivar "Sensation" can grow as tall as 6 feet.

Fertilizing

• These plants will eventually deplete their soil nutrients as they grow, so it is important to provide fertilizer or plant food every two weeks to three months. Use a regular fertilizer designed for houseplants with a balanced 20-20-20 blend of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. If fertilizing every month, dilute to one-quarter the recommended strength. Any standard plant food will generally suffice, but should be applied lightly. This plant is sensitive to over-fertilization, which exhibits itself as burnt root hairs and leaf edges.

Plant Care

• Low light to filtered sunlight is best for the peace lily, since direct sun can burn the plant's foliage. Plants thrive between 68 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit -- but 10 degrees cooler at night -- and should be protected from temperatures below 60. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Transplant them to new pots every one to two years in soil containing loam, peat moss and sand, although any soil high in organic matter is suitable. The broad, dark-green leaves may get dusty at times and benefit from regular cleaning. The plant will eventually slow its growth and flowering as it enters a period of dormancy. During this time, reduce fertilizing and watering.

Cultivars

• Cultivars include compact versions such as "Wallisii," which grows to 12 inches, and "Mauna Loa," which grows 2 to 3 feet and produces large, lance-shaped leaves 9 inches long. "Sensation" is the largest of commercial peace lilies and is durable and versatile.

Benefits

• Peace lilies are some of the best houseplants for filtering pollutants out of indoor air. In a NASA clean air study reported by the North Dakota State University Extension, peace lilies were shown to efficiently remove benzene, formaldehyde and carbon monoxide from indoor environments.