In this guide, we will explain everything about Peace Lily leaves turning yellow. The peace lily (Spathiphyllum spp) is a houseplant, characterized by its quick and easy way to adapt to low light spaces. Learn all about Peace Lily Yellow Leaves.
Peace Lily Yellow Leaves
The Peace Lily is an indoor plant widely used for domestic use that presents an important white flower. Also, Peace Lily is appreciated as one of the Feng Shui allies plants as one of the plants that purify and balance the home energy.
Although it is native to tropical climates, today it is adapted to practically all indoor areas, with controlled temperatures and practically no variation between day and night.
However, Peace Lily can become quite sensitive to the substrate, fertilization, and watering, so it is important to control the main steps for proper maintenance.
Therefore, when we begin to notice that our Peace Lily is drooping, with yellowing or browning leaves, this is a clear sign that there is something wrong with the Peace Lily. In the following paragraphs, we will review some tips on Peace Lily care to diagnose what is going on with our Peace Lily and what causes yellow leaves on peace lily
Since they are plants of humid environments and temperatures, it is necessary to establish a series of guidelines for the perfect care of the Peace Lily. We will discuss the main points that you can control and correct in case you are doing it wrong or detect problems in your plant.
Verify that Peace Lily is located in the right place. Peace Lily is grown as a potted houseplant directly at home. We will look for a point where there is good lighting but without direct sun at any time.
Peace Lily is usually placed in pots on tables or stands away from windows (it does not like drafts) and direct sun, especially during the flowering period.
Check that your Peace Lily has the right substrate. The plant requires high humidity levels but also has serious problems with drainage. This crossroads in decision-making is due to the fact that its roots are short and cannot run out of oxygen.
Check that the substrate for your Peace Lily is acidic pH peat mixed with coconut fiber. This natural material allows the accumulation of an ideal humidity for the cultivation of the Peace Lily plant but at the same time drains very well the excess water.
Indoors it will not be subjected to sudden changes in temperature or excessive heat, but it will be subjected to environmental dryness. Therefore, in the summer months, it will be necessary to spray the leaves with water (preferably with little lime) and allow them to hydrate well.
Let’s review why are my peace lily leaves turning yellow and how to fix this problem.
Peace Lily Yellow Leaves: Sunburn
The peace lily plant is quite sensitive to sudden changes in temperature, humidity, and location inside the house. The peace lily is one of the best plants for the kitchen. If we deviate from the above-mentioned plan, it is possible that the leaves start to become chlorotic (excess of water), pale, with little turgor or brown spots appearing.
One of the recurring problems that occur with this indoor plant is that direct sun exposure, even if it is behind glass, burns the leaves.
Peace Lily Yellow Leaves due to Sunburn. Peace lilies do not need too much direct sunlight, they should have indirect light.
If it is direct, it should be at times when the sun is not so strong or it will burn the leaves. So, one of the causes of yellow leaves on peace lilies may be too much sun.
Peace Lily Yellow Leaves – How to Fix a Sunburned Peace Lily
Peace Lily Yellow Leaves due to Sunburn: How to Fix it. It is recommended to do some trimming and remove the affected leaves with very sharp scissors and previously properly disinfected. Then we will place the pot in a correct position, where it receives abundant light but not great luminous intensity or heat, and of course no direct sun.
Remember that as an indoor plant it is perfect because the constant temperature of our home provides the range of pleasant and non-fluctuating temperatures that this plant needs.
Peace lily does not require abundant light. It should not be placed under the air outlet or heating because it does not tolerate drafts well. So by removing the damaged leaves and placing the container in a suitable location without excessive light and air, we should see improvement.
Finally, I would recommend liquid fertilization to provide the Peace Lily with the best possible conditions for new leaf formation.
Peace Lily Yellow Leaves – Soil Problems
The soil of the peace lily should be kept moist, but never waterlogged, so it must have good drainage. If you water the peace lily too much it will have yellow leaves, it is best to water it once a week.
As mentioned in previous paragraphs Peace Lily requires high humidity levels but also has serious problems with drainage. The best substrate for Peace lily is acid pH peat soil mixed with coconut fiber.
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Learn more about Best Soil for Peace Lily and How to Care in this article
Peace Lily Yellow Leaves – Irrigation Problems
Peace Lily Yellow Leaves Due to Irrigation Problems and Overwatering. Flaccid and yellow leaves on Peace Lily may be the first symptom of excess water but without the initial presence of the fungus. They usually have a weak and drooping appearance, due to the lack of cell turgor.
For this, we will shorten the water supply and reduce the frequency of irrigation until we see changes in the appearance of the Peace Lily plant.
If the problem is not overwatering, it may be water quality. Tap water usually has many additives that are not good for plants.
Peace Lily Yellow Leaves – It is recommended in this case to try another type of water such as rainwater or filtered water.
If the tap water has too much calcium, it will cause the leaves to turn yellow and brown. Check the base of the pot (holes), if you see white spots this may be an excess of calcium in the water.
Check the humidity of the soil or the Peace Lily container. As we have commented before, the spathiphyllum is demanding in humidity, so our premise will be to maintain the humidity levels always at the same level.
Watering in spring and summer should be done twice a week, with an amount of 300 to 500 ml of water per irrigation. We can take advantage and in this water add the liquid fertilizer to the concentration that puts us on the product label.
Diseases in Peace Lily – Brown Leaves Due to Fungus
Peace Lily Yellow Leaves Turning Brown. The main disease that affects the peace lily is a fungus that affects its roots and so the first leaves of the lily start to turn yellow/brown and end up killing the plant. You will see yellow leaves turning brown.
Peace lily yellow leaves turning brown with a flaccid appearance may be due to the action of Phytophthora, a fungus that takes advantage of excessive humidity conditions due to water abuse in irrigation.
Watering should be cut back until a lower humidity level is maintained, without waterlogging the pot, and the affected leaves should be eliminated. However, against this, it is practically impossible to find a solution.
Nutrient Deficiencies in Peace Lily – Yellow Spots on Leaves
Peace lilies are not a plant that requires a lot of fertilizer. However, yellow spots on peace lily may be due to a lack of nutrients.
The peace lily is susceptible to a lack of magnesium, but it is also affected by a lack of nitrogen, potassium, and iron. Nutrient deficiencies in plants can cause yellow spots on leaves, yellow leaves, and brown spots.
When the cause of yellow leaves is a lack of nutrients, we will see that the leaves, in general, have a yellowish appearance, even the adult ones, it is a symptom of lack of nitrogen. It usually coincides with reduced leaf size and lack of growth.
It is necessary to replenish nutrients in the substrate with the recommended fertilizers, making sure that they include the main micronutrients.
We will also make sure that it has a good disposition to light since it is also a symptom of not carrying out photosynthesis correctly due to excess darkness.
How to Fix Yellow Spots on Peace Lily Due to Nutrient Deficiencies
Peace Lily Yellow Leaves – How to Fix Yellow Spots on Peace Lily Due to Nutrient Deficiencies. With a 20-20-20 action fertilizer every few months we can give the necessary nutrients to our peace lily.
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Before the budding of the flower, we must recover the nutrients lost in the substrate with watering by fertilizing. A mixture of liquid fertilizer for this type of plant can be the NPK 6-5-8 which includes micronutrients.
You can also count on slow-release granular fertilizer. It is more convenient to apply as the pellets dissolve slowly with each watering.
One of the most common solid NPK mixtures for fertilizing Peace lily is NPK 12-8-16 slow release.
It is usually added 10 to 20 grams per pot and plant, at the beginning of flowering, once a month.
Why Have the Flowers of my Peace Lily Turned Green?
Why have the flowers of my Peace Lily turned green? This happens when the plant is in a place where it does not receive as much light.
The cause of the Peace Lily flowers turning green is that the plant is synthesizing more chlorophyll (the green pigment in charge of photosynthesis) in its petals, to try to maximize the rate of photosynthesis, taking advantage of the surface of the flower for this (which in conditions of higher light does not need it, so the flowers are white).
It does not cause any harm to the plant, but it may not be aesthetically pleasing, so I would recommend that you move it to a room or space where it receives more light (although without direct sun).
Lack of Flowering of Peace Lily
In most cases, ruling out that there is no lack of nutrients in the plant (we would see it in the visual symptoms), it is due to a lack of light.
Darkness negatively affects the growth of the plant and, in particular, the production of buds and flower buds. It is necessary to place the plant in a brighter location, but without direct sun.
If your Peace Lily is not flowering, this is our recommended article to learn How to Get Peace Lily to Bloom – Beautiful Flowers
Dry Tips on Peace Lily – Brown Tips on Peace Lily
Dry tips and brown tips are symptomatology totally contrary to the excess water. The environmental dryness and a lack of water in the substrate cause necrotic edges and brown spots of dry aspect.
Often, even with proper watering, the lack of humidity in the environment causes the leaves to dry out and suffer damage. Be sure to spray the plant frequently during the hottest and driest days.
Learn more about Brown Tips on Peace Lily – Reasons and How to Solve in this article.
We hope you find in this article everything about Peace Lily leaves turning yellow and how to fix Peace Lily Yellow Leaves.
