The beautiful, abundant Peace Lily plant (Spathiphyllum sp.) is often simple to care for indoors. However, it could be sad when anything goes wrong that negatively affects its health and on the verge of dying. But with the right care, this houseplant easily recovers. Keep reading to get my tips on how to revive a dying peace lily.
The beautiful, abundant Peace Lily plant (Spathiphyllum sp.) is often simple to care for indoors. However, it could be sad when anything goes wrong that negatively affects its health and on the verge of dying. But with the right care, this houseplant easily recovers.
The most frequent reason for a Peace Lily to die is overwatering. To spot root rot, look for yellow, droopy Peace Lily foliage. Treat right away, and steer clear of timed irrigation. Your plant might get stressed and deteriorate as a result of underwatering, cold weather, nutritional issues, pests, or disease.
If you have wilting peace lilies, going yellow, browning, or becoming black, keep reading to learn how to apply the remedies to save it.
Main Causes of A Dying Peace Lily
1. Overwatering
Too much water is the main factor in Peace Lily death. They are thirsty plants that adore evenly moist soil, especially in hot weather. but in a thick, muddy mixture, they will suffocate.
In order to oxygenate the roots and prevent fungal issues, it is essential to let the soil dry out a little between watering sessions. Before extensively rewatering, let the surface of the top few inches to dry. To properly rehydrate the mixture and cleanse the soil, run an excess water through it.
When peace lilies are dehydrated, they significantly wilt, thus it is best to rewater them just as they are about to wilt. With practice, you’ll be able to determine the ideal time.
4 Things to Consider With Overwatered Peace Lily
Be aware that depending on the environment, the plant uses different amounts of water. Following a routine that doesn’t adapt to cooler temperatures or reduced light levels is a major cause of overwatering.
- Ensure that there is no water left at the bottom of the plant’s pot if it is housed inside a stylish outer container. Any cache containers should be empty after watering.
- Yellowing leaves are the typical sign of overwatering, but the foliage can also become brown, generally on the tips and margins.
- When you have a wilting peace lily in moist soil, rot has most likely already taken hold and destroyed the roots. Stop letting things go this far! Root rot has a strong, distinguishable stench, so check the potting soil.
- Allowing the soil to dry out before resuming a normal routine is the primary remedy for overwatering. Trim away the rotting material and repot the plant in new soil if you wish to try to save a plant that has root rot.
2. Underwatering
You’ll probably know if your Peace lily is suffering from being submerged because it’s difficult to notice a plant that has collapsed all over its pot. They don’t, so to say, suffer in quiet.
When properly hydrated, Peace Lilies often come back to life, which contributes to their image as forgiving plants. Don’t take the plant’s “talking” to humans about being thirsty too far, though.
A plant under water stress could not fully recover; the effects include poor growth, brown spots that never regreen, and increased leaf loss.
If your plant is severely rootbound and the rootball isn’t getting enough moisture, it may be experiencing chronic drought. A wooden chopstick or pencil can be inserted into the plant’s roots after watering to check for any dry patches, or you can unpot the plant to examine the roots.
Give the soil a good soak if you’ve decided that underwatering is the issue in order to rehydrate any components of the mixture that could be water-repellent when dry. Don’t “make it up” by watering more regularly; instead, go back to correct watering and monitor more carefully going forward.
3. Cold Temperature or Low Temperature Drafts
Peace lilies, which are tropical plants, flourish at typical indoor temperatures but get anxious when the temperature drops below 41°F (5°C). A Peace Lily may perish under extremely cold conditions.
The appearance of yellow or blackened leaves might indicate injury from the cold. Be careful to safeguard them since you might not have much of a warning before the damage is done.
Another possible danger is drafts, particularly when the air is extremely hot or cold.
4. Inefficient Lighting Conditions
One of the greatest indoor plants for low light is the peace lily, which can blossom in moderately dim settings but cannot thrive in practically complete darkness. If the light is too dim, they may suffer and stagnate, but this is typically visible.
Although they naturally favor light shade, most indoor lighting is brighter than outdoor shade. Brown or yellow leaves are signs of low light stress. Low light can also delay development and result in smaller leaves.
The solution is as simple as creating brighter settings. Peace lilies thrive in a window that faces north and thrive in fluorescent illumination.
They can tolerate strong indirect light as well, but burn in the sun’s direct rays. In general, light morning sun is OK, but if the plant is exposed to too much direct sun and you notice brown patches, it requires further protection.
5. Disease Problems
One of the greatest indoor plants for low light is the peace lily, which can blossom in moderately dim settings but cannot thrive in practically complete darkness. If the light is too dim, they may suffer and stagnate, but this is typically visible.
Although they naturally favor light shade, most indoor lighting is brighter than outdoor shade. Brown or yellow leaves are signs of low light stress. Low light can also delay development and result in smaller leaves.
The solution is as simple as creating brighter settings. Peace lilies may thrive in a window that faces north and thrive in fluorescent illumination.
They can tolerate strong indirect light as well, but burn in the sun’s direct rays. In general, light morning sun is OK, but if the plant is exposed to direct sunlight and you notice brown patches, it requires further protection.
6. Pest Problems
Your Peace Lily won’t likely perish from pests alone if you don’t allow an infestation to take hold. Since the plant is not particularly vulnerable, an invasion is frequently an indication that another stress has weakened the plant’s defenses.
The most frequent houseplant pests you’re likely to encounter are scale, mealybugs, and aphids. Spider mites are also attracted to dry environments.
Rubbing alcohol may be used to kill individual insects, and insecticidal soap is a great, plant-friendly solution for big infestations. Bring the plant to the bathroom shower and spray it with the soapy water. Soak in cracks and crevices between the leaves. Insects must come into contact with the solution for it to work. Repetition is necessary every four to seven days until the problem is resolved.
7. Rootbound
Peace Lilies may survive for years in the same container and thrive well in small spaces, but there are restrictions. Constriction of the rootball will have negative health repercussions.
It is not a good idea to put off repotting until the plant is already in trouble. Repotting may be quite stressful for the plant because of the unfamiliar soil and eventual damage to the delicate roothairs. Additionally, overpotting leaves a lot of empty soil, which makes it hard to water effectively.
8. Nutrient Deficiency
Since, Peace lilies are light eaters, malnutrition is not a frequent issue. Even yet, a plant may experience indirect stress due to a nutritional deficiency. and a plant that is root-bound might deplete the soil.
Sluggish growth and stunted, pale or discolored leaves are symptoms.
It is advised to apply throughout the growth season every six weeks. Half the recommended strength of a balanced fertilizer should be used. You can instantly add a dosage of fertilizer if you’ve confirmed the issue is poor soil and you haven’t given the plant anything recently (at a half-strength dilution).
Avoid overfeeding to “catch up” just return to regular applications. It might be tempting to give a sick plant more food, but this frequently has the opposite effect.
9. Toxic Soil
Overfertilizing peace lilies is simple. A salt buildup caused by too much fertilizer residue can contaminate the soil and prevent roots from growing.
Brown leaf tips are one of the most common signs of fertilizer burn, but more serious soil toxicity results in stunting and yellowed, withering foliage as well as a general deterioration of the plant.
The suggested method for removing fertilizer residue from the soil is to flush it, and doing so regularly is a good idea. When watering, provide more water than necessary and allow the extra water drain through the drainage holes.
10. Poor Water Quality
Another type of toxin that might harm your Peace Lily is poor water quality. Although the plant isn’t very sensitive to high chemical and/or mineral content, it can nevertheless have an impact. Poor water quality can hinder development and increase plant stress, yet it is typically not lethal.
Brown leaf tips and browned foliage are symptoms.
Since most municipal supplies are chloramine-treated rather than chlorine-treated, the aging effect of leaving water out overnight is ineffective. The task may be completed with a cheap dechlorinator used for aquariums. Of course, you may also use distilled, purified, or rainfall.
11. Relocation
Although peace lilies don’t react to relocation in a spectacular way, they nonetheless need time to adjust. They may languish and display distress in their leaves if the shift is significant or takes place in a less favorable climate. Moving, however, seldom results in significant injury.
Even yet, if your plant is struggling, you should take it into account. Wait until the plant has recovered before making any further significant alterations. An indication that your Peace lily has adjusted is new growth.
Read more about peace lily transplanting.
RELATED: Peace Lilies: Top Reasons Why Their Leaves Turn Brown and How To Fix Them
How To Revive Sunburned Brown Spots On Peace Lilies
The first step in rescuing a sunburned peace lily is to relocate it back to a shaded location. Peace lilies prefer brilliant indirect light over full sun or a lot of direct light. It is best to refrain from trimming any leaves at first because doing so can put the plant under more stress.
If the leaves are curled, water the peace lily once a week to keep the soil moist and spritz the foliage to simulate the humidity of their tropical home. If the leaves are not curled, do not water the peace lily.
Trim back any leaves that are noticeably brown once new growth appears so that there are healthy, green leaves. It may take some time for the plant to recover because peace lilies grow slowly.
If you relocate a peace lily, make sure to place it in bright indirect sunlight to avoid direct sunlight burns. The peace lilies are given ample energy to produce blossoms and are shielded from sunburn by bright indirect sunlight.
How to Revive Peace Lily Drooping and With Yellow Leaves
Reduce watering if you are watering more frequently than once per week. In order to prevent denying the roots oxygen and lower the danger of root rot, the soil’s surface should be completely dry between waterings. For the best moisture balance, the soil should feel equally moist to a depth of two fingers.
In order for water to drain, make sure your peace lily is put in a container with drainage holes. Check to ensure that the hole is not plugged by compacted earth or roots if you find that the soil is draining slowly.
Regular emptying of saucers, trays, and ornamental pots is advised. To avoid water from pooling around the roots at the bottom of the pot and leading to root rot, if you have anything under the base of the pot that you leave empty after watering it, make sure it is removed.
Apply fertilizer to peace lilies with yellow leaves near the base of the plant. Apply a half-strength home plant fertilizer regularly once a month in the spring and summer to guarantee good development. This guarantees that the peace lily can get the nutrition it needs.
Always adhere to the manufacturer’s recommendations since fertilizer given too frequently or in excess concentration will cause leaf yellowing and impede flowering, which is why half-strength treatments are typically preferable for peace lilies.
Read more in-depth discussion on how to fix peace lily with browning leaves.
RELATED: How To Save An Overwatered Peace Lily From Dying? A Comprehensive Guide
Final Thoughts
A peace lily dying is typically caused by underwatering or low humidity as a result of indoor air currents or too much sun. Peace lilies become stressed by drought and droop, becoming brown and appearing to be dying. Yellow leaves on a dying, drooping peace lily indicate overwatering or nutritional deficiency.
Hopefully, the information in this post will enable you to quickly restore your Peace Lily to full health. Check some of our previous posts about peace lilies if you’d want to learn more.
Hope you find my tip on how to revive a dying peace lily useful. Make sure to also check out my other articles on how to revive plants:
Snake Plant Dying: How To Revive It And More Helpful Tips
Dying Money Tree: Important Steps And Tips To Revive Your Plant
How To Revive A Dying Orchid Plant In Five Steps — Learning The Ropes
