How to make peace lilies ‘successfully flower’ with gardener’s easy solution

Peace lilies are sold in garden centres and supermarkets with a flower or spathe – an attractive feature, rising up creamy white from the centre of the arching sword-like foliage. 

This is because they are forced to bloom with gibberellic acid, a natural plant hormone that stimulates excessive growth.

It can then be disappointing when you get your home and it no longer flowers.

To help your houseplant flower, a peace lily owner has taken to the Gardening Hints and Tips Facebook page to share tips they found to be “successful”.

Posting a photo of her peace lily that consisted of four stunningly white blooms, Reilly Casanova wrote: “Hi everyone, just joined today because of the success I’m having with my peace lily for it to flower. 

“I’ve read that people have difficulty getting them to flower, so I’m here with some advice.”

Reilly explained that when she bought this plant eight months ago, it had “one small dying flower” and “its stalk broke and it did not survive”. 

In the hope of fixing this, the peace lily parent said: “I promptly replanted in this large pot with . 

“I only use filtered, reverse osmosis water to hydrate it.” It is often recommended to use filtered water or rainwater when watering peace lilies as they can be sensitive to chemicals in tap water.

Reilly continued: “I keep the room at 50 to 55 percent humidity, keep the dirt moist, and spray the plant’s leaves twice a day.”

Peace Lilies bask in humidity due to their tropical rainforest origins. They’re not just being divas as their preference for moist air is hardwired.

If you’re falling short on humidity, a pebble tray or a daily misting session can be a quick fix. 

In terms of where Reilly keeps her peace lily, it sits in the middle of her room and receives dim to moderate lighting from her north and south-facing windows. 

Peace lilies love light, and they can definitely take a little morning sunshine, but in general, keep them in well-lit areas, and away from direct sunlight. 

As a tropical variety, peace lilies also like to be fairly warm. Keep them away from drafty areas and in temperatures above 16 degrees.

Reilly added: “That fourth sprout just appeared today and so I decided to commemorate this post in honour of that milestone.”