ADULTPLANTS

Peace lily

Spathiphyllum wallisii

Family Araceae Native to Central and South America Habitat tropical understory Also sold as lily

Peace lily wants bright indirect light and water every 5 to 7 days, once top inch dry. Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans.

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)
Spathiphyllum wallisii. Photograph by Peter Fiskerstrand, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
One of the few plants that will still flower in low light, though less often than in bright indirect.
Water
Every 5–7 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when top inch dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Temperature
65–85°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 2 of 5: Dramatic wilting makes its needs obvious, but it wants more consistent moisture than most houseplants.
Habit
Clumping
Grows to 12–24 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans

Contains insoluble calcium oxalates. Reported signs include oral irritation, intense burning of mouth and tongue, excessive drooling.

If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Classification per the ASPCA.

DISPLAY — in-content responsive

Light

Bright indirect light. One of the few plants that will still flower in low light, though less often than in bright indirect.

Water

Every 5 to 7 days in a 6-inch pot, when top inch dry.

Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.

Methodkeep evenly moist
Test before wateringtop inch dry

Soil and potting

Standard potting mix with one part perlite added.

Repot roughly every 2 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.

Common problems

Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species.

Propagation

Division in soil. Roots in 21 to 42 days.

Preferred methoddivision
Mediumsoil
Time to root21–42 days
Node requiredNo
Best seasonSpring

Sources

  1. ASPCA Animal Poison Control, Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List — Spathiphyllum wallisii
  2. Missouri Botanical Garden, Plant Finder — Spathiphyllum wallisii
  3. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online
  4. Wikidata entity Q761494

Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it. How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02