Peace Lily Plant
Origin
The robust green lily belongs to the lily family (Liliaceae) and originates from South Africa. About one hundred species are known to grow in tropical areas. As an indoor plant, the green lily is very popular because it is easy to care for and feels at home in almost every room in the house. Particularly well, the long shoots with its numerous children show to advantage in traffic lights or on plant-columns. The botanical generic name is composed of the Greek words “chloros” for green and “phyton” for plant, “comosum” means translated “mop of hair” and refers to the dense leaf top of the green lily. The houseplant, also known under the names Graslilie, Brautschleppe and Grüner Heinrich, was introduced to the United States as early as 1828.
growth
Green lilies are low herbaceous plants whose roots stand in clusters and are thickened fleshy. They form a dense leaf head from which long hanging flower shoots grow. In the tropics, they spread with the help of their children on bigger surfaces in a short time.
leaves
The mostly elongated lanceolate leaves of the green plants, which develop from a rosette, are basal, up to 40 centimeters long and about 2.5 centimeters wide. Depending on the variety, they are green, green-white or green-yellow striped.
blossoms
The white star-shaped flowers are quite small and appear all year round. They sit in dense or loose grapes on a simple to branched shaft. The inflorescence becomes up to one metre long as the flowering period progresses and hangs down like an arch. Also at the inflorescence shoots with rooted young plants, so-called children, are formed.
Location
The green lily prefers bright places where it is not exposed to direct sunlight. Green-leaved forms of the lily plant can also tolerate shady locations, colourful-leaved ones tend to turn green here. In summer, green lilies thrive at room temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius; they can then also be placed outside. In winter a cooler location is suitable. However, the indoor plant should not be below ten degrees Celsius, otherwise its growth will come to a standstill.
substrate
As an indoor plant, the green lily prefers a substrate rich in nutrients and humus, which is fresh to moist and beautifully loose. Lightly loamy indoor plant soil from the specialist trade is ideal.
care
The robust green lily must be watered regularly during the growth phase from spring to late summer. Due to its water-storing roots, the indoor plant also survives dry periods, but it is important to avoid stagnant moisture. During the resting period in winter it may only be watered sparingly. A weekly dose of green plant fertilizer is recommended from March to August. It is best to use a liquid fertilizer and administer it with the irrigation water.
repotting
The green lily should be repotted in spring and only when the root ball can easily be lifted out of the plant container. Place the plant in a planter that is around two fingers wider and not too deep.
cutting
With the green lily no regular cut is necessary. However, you can cut off the flower stems with the children at any time if they become too long.
Propagation
On the long flowering shoots, the plants form ready offshoots which only need to be cut off and potted. If you cut them off immediately, it is important to keep the soil in the new pot well moist until it roots in. It is safer to pot the cuttings first and only then separate them from the mother plant when they are well rooted. You can recognize this by the fact that the plants suddenly show a growth spurt. Alternatively, you can also root the children of the green lilies in a water glass after separating them from the mother plant.
Like all green lilies, the white-green variety ‘Variegata’ forms offshoots that only need to be separated (left). Then place the cuttings directly into a pot filled with earth and pour them on (right).
varieties
The white-green Variegata variety is particularly popular with us. The variety ‘Milky Way’ has grassy, white-edged leaves. Vittatum’ stands out due to its almost snow-white coloured leaf centre, while ‘Streaker’ has deep green leaves with a very light stripe in the centre. Strikingly twisted leaves carry the compact variety ‘Bonnie’.
Diseases and pests
Green lilies are very robust, but occasionally they are attacked by aphids or mealybugs. Brown leaf margins occur when the air in the room is too dry and when it is stagnant. Knickle leaves are caused by fertilization during winter heat and lack of air.
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I am Don Burke, one of the authors at My Garden Guide. I am a horticulturist that cultivates, grows, and cares for plants, ranging from shrubs and fruits to flowers. I do it in my own garden and in my nursery. I show you how to take care of your garden and how to perform garden landscaping in an easy way, step by step.I am originally from Sydney and I wrote in local magazines. Later on, I have decided, more than two decades ago, to create my own blog. My area of specialization is related to orchid care, succulent care, and the study of the substrate and the soil. Therefore, you will see many articles dedicated to these disciplines. I also provide advice about how to improve the landscape design of your garden.
