Peace lilies are popular potted plants due to how easy they are to take care of, but it is incredibly important to know how to maintain of them in winter.
These pretty houseplants naturally grow in humid conditions on tropical forest floors and tend to need higher temperatures with the occasional burst of sunlight to truly thrive.
In winter, peace lilies can quickly dehydrate due to the colder weather, and if placed near a window, the temperature can drop very quickly due to condensation building on the window or a draft being let through.
Peace lilies must be kept at temperatures well above 10C, and if the temperature goes any lower it can lead to cold damage which will cause the plant to develop black spots, discolour slow down its growth, and may even kill the houseplant.
Ideally, peace lilies should be kept in a room with temperatures between 18C to 27C to keep them happy and healthy to bloom to their full potential.
READ MORE: ‘Spur’ a non-blooming peace lily to flower with three easy care tips this winter
If a peace lily does get damaged from the cold, then it needs to be pruned of its damaged leaves and left in a warmer place in the home.
According to the experts at Gardeners Dream, a Scottish gardening retailer, peace lilies should be placed in a room where it can soak up lots of humidity.
They wrote: “The best place to keep a peace lily is either in the bathroom or in a room that is frequented by people such as a living room.
“This is because peace lilies love humidity and both people and bathroom equipment cause lots of humidity. It is best not to leave peace lilies by external doors or windows because the plants don’t do well in exposed conditions.
Peace lilies should also be placed near a window, but not directly on a windowshelf as the houseplant does best in indirect sunlight.
The experts at Gardeners Dream said: “Peace lilies are relatively easy to grow at home and the key to their care is less is more.
“Oftentimes well meaning giftees will put their peace lily on the windowsill in direct sunlight, which isn’t terrible, but it isn’t beneficial. Peace lilies grow in partial shade conditions and even do well in low light conditions.”
It is also important to not overwater a peace lily in the wintertime, but how much it needs water depends on how much humidity and sunlight the plant is getting.
If placed in a humid area of the home and is being watered too regularly, it can be difficult for the peace lily’s soil to fully dry as it is not getting as much sunlight as it normally would in the winter and it will become waterlogged.
It can be a difficult balance to make sure peace lilies are getting all the sunlight and water they need in the colder seasons without overdoing it, but monitoring the flower’s soil moisture and ensuring they are potted in well-drained soil will greatly benefit a peace lily.
The Gardeners Dream expert said: “Normally it is best to water your peace lily every few days with the plant even being tolerant to being watered less often if it is kept somewhere humid in the house like the bathroom.
“The key here is to know how much water is available to the plant from the environment and bathroom lilies often get overwatered. If you notice your peace lily looks in ill health it is likely as a result of watering, so re-adjust your watering to rectify the problem.”
