Peace Lilies stand out for their lovely white flowers, and are known for their air-purifying qualities. This variety stands out even more for its stunning variegated foliage, as its broad leaves are striped deep green and white. It will love a bright spot out of direct sun and time for the soil to dry between waters, which will help to produce gorgeous lily-like blooms. While the NASA study which stated that Peace Lilies purify air has been brought into question (you'd need a whole jungle in every room to make a real difference!), this beautiful plant can still improve your wellbeing simply by adding colour and greenery to your surroundings.
Scientific Name Spathiphyllum floribundum 'Chopin' (sword-leaved, flower-bearing plant, variety: Chopin)
Common Name Silver Peace Lily
Origin Originates in tropical South American rainforests, especially in Colombia and Venezuela Light Peace Lilies can thrive in a variety of indirect light conditions, including in shadier spots. As long as it's bright enough to read in daylight there, your plant will be fine, and shadier/cooler spots can help them bloom for longer! Just make sure not to overwater in a shady spot. Water Make sure at least the top third dries out between waters. if it gets too thirsty, the lily will droop dramatically; this is much easier for it to recover from than being overwatered though, so don't panic, just give it a water! Use tepid water when the plant is blooming as cold water can shock the plant and damage the flowers.
Humidity Peace Lilies like high humidity and will benefit from regular misting or the introduction of a humidity tray. If its leaves start to go brown, curled and crisp at the edges this is probably a sign that the air is too dry. Soil Use a well-draining, moisture retentive soil (something suitable for Calatheas will also work here!). Repot every couple of years in spring as the plant grows. We wouldn't recommend potting directly into a terracotta pot as these can keep the roots a little too cold!
Food Feed every four waters in spring and summer; reduce to every six in autumn and winter. Temperature Temperature should ideally be between 12-25°C- make sure it doesn't drop below 10°C in winter.
Pet-safe No, this plant is toxic to pets and small humans.
Sprouts Top Tips Peace Lilies are likely to react badly to soggy soil, so keep an eye out for overwatering symptoms like foliage going brown or lower leaves going yellow, brown spots on leaves, stunted growth, or wilting. If you spot any of these and your soil is wet to the touch, you probably need to water less frequently! Make sure the soil has plenty of time to dry out before you next water it, and check the roots to make sure they are tinged with yellow and not going brown or mushy. Keep an eye on this, especially in cooler or shadier spots.
This month we have been busier than expected, which is obviously amazing. We have worked with some amazing businesses, including a very nice doughnut cafe thats opened on College Green that you need to check out. We have welcomed Jazz to the team, she's already settling in amazingly. And we look forward to the end of the year for that ever so special quarter that is very very important to retailers like us up and down the country.
We have launched our first (hopefully monthly) ‘Letter from the Founder’ blog post. I talk about a string of bad luck, from water gushing from various ceilings in my life to a break-in, and also reflect on the incredible work we have done to win two awards earlier this year. I look ahead to what’s coming up in August, projects we are working on with our clients, and some thoughts about the rest of the year. And I give an insight into my brain, why I am who I am and why I’m so thankful for all the opportunities, passion and excitement that running Sprouts has given me as a founder and as a woman.