Cultivation of Spathiphyllum or peace lily

A plant that we have seen many times in many indoor environments for its peculiar flowering. The Spatiphyllum has elegant, bright and large green foliage, typical of tropical plants and is somewhat tolerant of neglecting their care. We add this indoor plant to our collection and we will tell you how to make this plant a perfect decorative element at home. 

ORIGIN OF SPATIPHYLLUM OR SPATIFILO

The genus Spatiphyllum is of tropical origin without any doubt and its origins are found in the tropical areas of America and on the other hand in Malay areas. The subsequent expansion has occurred in many places in the world such as the Philippines and is very often found in Brazil.

In fact its common name (lily of peace) comes from this country. Among the dozens of species of Spatiphyllum , the most common and widespread as an indoor plant is Spatiphyllum wallisii . A curiosity of this plant if you have it, is that the leaves begin to come out practically from the root. There is no bare stem.

The most striking thing about this plant is its inflorescence, called spadix (a type of spike), made up of a large number of flowers embedded on an axis. This spadix is ​​covered by a single, very large white bract (sometimes two) that protects the flowers. This bract is called a spathe .

HOW TO CARE FOR THE SPATIPHYLLUM ( SPATIPHYLLUM WALLISII )

TEMPERATURES

Being a plant of tropical origin it is logical that in our climates it has to be indoors since it needs warm and constant temperatures . 15 ºC is the minimum temperature for optimal development, being the most suitable from 20 ºC to 24 ºC. It is a plant somewhat more resistant to cold than some of those that we have already talked about in previous posts.

EXPOSITION

It is a plant that supports well the somewhat shady places. In fact, in summer it is almost better to keep it away from light sources, even indirect ones. In summer you should move your Spatiphyllum to a shadier location if its normal location is near a window during winter.

It is not a maxim that you have to follow. If you see her healthy and strong, don’t even move her. These are all recommendations in case you can see the plant worse than usual.

I USUALLY

It does not need a very specific substrate so a mixture of sand, peat and mulch is usually the usual. Their roots do not develop much and they prefer to be in pots that are somewhat tight. When transplanting, if the plant has grown, simply increase the pot size a little but not too much.

IRRIGATION

It is not very demanding with watering except in hot months where the frequency of irrigation will be around 3-4 days. Also, depending on the ambient humidity and the intensity of the summer, it is very possible that you will have to spray the leaves from time to time to remove the burden of heat. In winter we can extend the irrigation at frequencies of 10 days or more.

Even taking into account all these cares, it should be noted that it is a resistant plant taking into account the delicacy of many of the indoor plants of tropical origin. It is perfect for those who are faced with having to care for plants at home for the first time. It is very grateful.

FLOWERING AND MULTIPLICATION OF THE SPATIPHYLLUM

To promote flowering (roughly summer) a balanced liquid fertilizer can be added every 10 or 15 days.

POSIBLE PROBLEMS

  • If the leaves turn yellow at the margins, they look damaged and spots appear, it can be a sign of lack of fertilizer.
  • If the leaves decay and become flaccid, it is due to lack of watering. Soak the pot for a few minutes and drain it. It will recover if the deficiency has not been too severe.

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