The variegated peace lily has gorgeous glossy foliage and arum-like flowers that appear stunning and inviting to homeowners. It remains dense and bushy for a very long time and is widely sought after.
This lily’s sweet scent helps to cleanse the air around it so the plant does exceptionally well in keeping the room fresh and appealing. This article is a comprehensive care guide on how to successfully grow this stunning plant.
What Is a Variegated Peace Lily?
The variegated peace lily is also known as spathiphyllum “domino” and is a rare, tough, and easy-to-grow houseplant that has white patches all over its leaves. It is an attractive plant that produces glossy, dark green lance-like flowers.
Variegated Peace Lily Domino Care
This plant is a popular easy-to-care houseplant and it grows well in a warm, humid environment. It is perfect for growing in bright rooms. For you to enjoy the exquisite beauty and fragrance, here are some of the special nuggets for variegated peace lily care.
– Light Requirements
The variegated peace lily needs more light as compared to solid-colored ones because they have less chlorophyll for absorbing sunlight. These plants need low to bright light exposure. For your plant to benefit from indirect sunlight sufficiently, be sure to place it near, but not directly under, the window. This could be five to eight feet away from a window.
Exposing your plant to cold air and too much sun is bad and unhealthy for your lily as this affects its development. These two conditions can cause your domino peace lily to develop brown, shriveled leaves and eventually die.
Exposure to light that is moderately bright is vital for your plant’s flowering and blooming, while prolonged exposure to bright and direct sunlight burns and scorches the leaves. The flowers of the variegated peace lily will eventually dry out and die in such conditions.
Peace lilies are also tolerant of fluorescent lights and this makes them more ideal for homes and offices. If your plant is not developing any flowers, it might not be getting enough light. This lily, like the zz plant, is tolerant to low light but that does not mean you should completely deprive it of light. Place your plant at a brighter location where it will get bright, indirect light for at least three to five hours daily.
– Soil Requirements
The variegated peace lily thrives in loose, rich potting soil that is combined with organic matter. These plants are native to tropical conditions which are characterized by soil packed with deteriorating plant material, so they will do best with soil that mimics this composition.
These plants do not do well in damp soil conditions so use a well-draining mixture. Consider using terracotta or clay containers for potting, which help in doing away with excess moisture since they are highly permeable.
– Water Requirements
The spathiphyllum thrives best in evenly moist soils as it does not need daily watering. Consider watering it generously with a soak, once a week.
Considering that these plants are adapted to tropical conditions with consistent moisture, they are vulnerable to wilting when they are grown as houseplants due to under-watering and drier air in the house environment. When it is water-starved, the peace lily plant shows it by dropping its leaves.
Avoid overwatering your Spathiphyllum plant to avoid drooping and root rot. This plant can also wilt or turn yellow in response to overwatering. This usually happens when the roots are sitting in stagnant water. Keep in mind that poor drainage and improper watering also lead to chlorosis, which refers to the yellowing of stems and leaves as a result of the loss of chlorophyll.
In addition, bear in mind that tap water contains chemicals such as fluoride that may cause brown leaf tips on your variegated peace lily. To combat this problem, use filtered, room temperature water if it’s available.
– Humidity Requirements
The lily plants thrive in high humidity conditions. To increase the humidity around the variegated peace lily, consider misting the leaves three times a week with cold water.
You can also place the flower pot on a moistened tray of gravel. Be sure to wipe the plant`s foliage with a damp sponge to remove any dust or dirt to keep its stem and leaf pores open.
– Temperature Requirements
Remember, domino peace lilies are tropical plants. Therefore, try to keep the temperature around them above 60 F. These plants enjoy and do best in temperatures above 70 F. Such temperatures are vital, especially during the flowering period because they aid in effective blooming.
– Fertilizing Requirements
Fertilizing your soil is an important part of variegated peace lily care, but the lily is not a heavy feeder, so only occasional feeding is required. To boost the plant’s growth during spring and summer, fertilize after every six weeks.
Start using a balanced houseplant fertilizer in the late winter period. Improper fertilizing can cause green flowers that are unhealthy-looking and, in some cases, the plant may not produce flowers at all.
In the case of green flowers, too much nitrogen may be the problem, so cut back on fertilizing. If you encounter a lack of flowers or weak-looking flowers, switch to using the flowering plant fertilizer. This type of fertilizer is rich in phosphorus, a nutrient that is important for blooming.
The root hairs of the Spathiphyllum are sensitive to harsh chemicals and can be damaged if exposed to them. Add a 20-20-20 house plant fertilizer to moist soil and use it at one-quarter of the recommended dilution rate.
– Pruning Requirements
The variegated peace lily produces its flowers on stalks that grow from the base of the plant. Once the stalk has made one flower, it will not be able to make any more. After the flower dies away, the stalk will also die. Therefore, pruning should be done at the base of the lily plants.
When pruning your plant, cut off the dying stalk as close to the bottom as you can. This will give room for new and fresh stalks to sprout.
– Repotting
Check the roots and the foliage of the plant so that you identify and remove loose roots and leaves that have brown tips. Consider using four-inch size pots when repotting your plants. Fill the pots with peat-based potting mix or some other well-draining mix and plant your vine. If the soil is dry, water it thoroughly and if already moist, leave it as it is.
The Spathiphyllum cannot propagate through cuttings.
However, you can quickly propagate it to grow many from just a single plant. This is achieved through dividing sections of the mother plant. The number of specimens that you can grow from a single plant is determined by the size of the mother plant and the number of its crowns.
Consider using a mature variegated peace plant that has plenty of good crowns.
Remove the plant from the pot by leaning the plant to the side and holding its foliage together to avoid breaking it. If your plant is stuck inside the pot, try tapping the side of the pot to free it.
Gently divide the plant using your hands by taking the crown section away from the mother plant or cutting sections away with a knife.
Make sure the crowns have two leaves or more. They should also have roots attached for successful propagation. Now you have several plants, so you will need to prepare new pots with new soil, even for the mother plant.
Problems
Just like any other plant species, the peace lily plants also have their own problems. However, these problems can easily be avoided or solved. Explained in this section are some of the problems you may encounter in growing your lily plant.
– Brown Leaf Tips
The Spathiphyllum are very prone to developing brown leaf tips, though this does not affect their beauty. Brown leaf tips are an indication that something is not right with your plant. This can be caused by using tap water for watering. Tap water contains chlorine or chloramines, both of which are not suitable for houseplants.
To combat the problem of brown tips, plant care should involve flushing the soil regularly with distilled water to prevent mineral build-up. Over and underwatering also causes brown leaf tips on this plant. Make sure that the soil is not too soggy or too dry, maintain a balance instead. Avoid overfertilizing your plant as this also leads to brown leaf tips.
During winter, your variegated peace lily stops growing actively so it is advisable to stop fertilizing your plant. Your plant will be dormant during this period and does not need supplementary nutrients, so fertilizing it will not be good for it.
– Leaves Turning Black
The blackening of the foliage is caused by exposure to cold. When exposed to excessive cold, the leaves of this plant turn black. Placing your lily close to a drafty window is the main cause of black leaves. When you see black leaves on your plants, place them in a warm and light place with the soil slightly moist.
Underwatering also causes this problem, where your plant’s leaves will turn dark brown or black mixed with some yellow. Sufficient watering can help your lily plant to recover but the already blackened leaves will not recover. Fungus or bacterial infection is another possible cause of the blackening of the leaves.
Pathogens can enter the soil even before the lily is planted, but overwatering is the main cause of infections. The main highlights of bacterial and fungus infection are black spots mixed with yellow on a leaf. To deal with this problem, remove all afflicted roots and foliage. Consider repotting your plant into dry soil and in this case, you might need to use a fungicide to start with.
– Yellow Leaves
Variegated peace lily yellow leaves are not always a bad sign, the leaves will eventually die and fall off. However, when you notice the yellowing of your lily’s foliage, quickly check if your plant is being overwatered or underwatered. When underwatered, the plant leaves turn yellow and brown-black. Water the plant sufficiently and it will recover, although some leaves will have to be removed.
Overwatering also causes the leaves to turn yellow. If the soil stays moist for too long, consider creating enough drainage for your plant. If you have been watering it sufficiently and its leaves turn yellow, consider checking the balance of the nutrients that are available to the plant.
– Dying Flowers
If the spathiphyllum’s wonderful white flowers are the main reason why you grew the plant in your home, it is disheartening to see them wilt and die off. When stressed, plants will drop their flowers and it will be time to check on all of their requirements.
Your best bet will be to check on the domino peace lily’s leaves for any indications of disease, but consider reviewing your watering schedule first.
– Green Flowers
When you notice your plant’s flowers losing their white color, that may not be cause for concern. It is very normal with the spathiphyllum’s life cycle. The flowers start green, blooms to white, and then back to green. However, if the flowers come out green and never turn white, that is a cause for concern.
If the flowers of your plant maintain a green color throughout the blooming period, moving it to a slightly shaded area is a crucial part of the lily care. Over-fertilizing is also another possible cause of green flowers. First, check your plant leaves for brown leaf tips, which are also a symptom.
To deal with this problem, flush the soil with distilled water to remove the excess nutrients from the excessive fertilizing procedures.
– Pests and Diseases
Disease detection and treatment are vital elements when it comes to the variegated peace lily domino care. The plant is mostly affected by pests like spider mites, mealybugs and scale. If not treated or removed, they cause problems to your beautiful plant. The common disease in spathiphyllum is Cylindrocladium spathiphylli and it causes root rot.
Cylindrocladium spathiphylli is a type of root rot that is transferred among plants by infected water and Phytophthora parasitica is caused by infected soil. You will recognize root rot when you notice yellowish roots. To solve this problem, clean off the roots often and repot the plant in clean, fresh and healthy soil.
Peace lilies are more susceptible to fungal diseases like powdery mildew when grown in darkness. Prevent fungal diseases by offering plenty of light and watering only at the soil line. Avoid splashing water on the leaves because wet leaves promote infections. Some cases may require the application of fungicides to restore your plant’s health.
FAQ
Here is an in-depth answer to a commonly-asked question about peace lilies.
What Are the Benefits of Peace Lily?
The peace lily plant has several benefits such as air-purifying, toxins absorbers, chemical removal, and many others. Just like a snake plant, the Spathiphyllum plant does not only beautify your homes and workplaces. This great indoor plant has air-purifying abilities because it can absorb toxins in the air, making you sleep better.
Growing the spathiphyllum “domino” plant together with other variegated forms of the spathiphyllum like the variegated peace lily Picasso and variegated peace lily Jessica beautifies your homes more with its ruffled green foliage with very fine white streaks. It also creates a beautiful contrast with its white spathes.
One of the questions that many people ask is, “Is the variegated peace lily rare?” Yes, peace lily plants are rare, so by having one in your home, you get the benefits that many people are not enjoying.
Conclusion
Let us go through the major points that you came across in this article:
- The Spathiphyllum requires watering once a week. Overwatering and underwatering are harmful to your plant.
- Variegated plants need more sun as compared to solid ones since they have less chlorophyll to absorb sunlight, so do not place them in dark spots.
- Propagation of these plants is achieved through dividing sections of the mother plant and re-planting them in separate pots.
- The Spathiphyllum has its problems. Overwatering, underwatering, and an imbalance in sunlight requirements are the main causes of these problems.
- This plant is widely sought-after because of its beauty and air purifying qualities.
With these comprehensive and useful guidelines, you should be able to easily care for your variegated peace lily! Enjoy the adventure!
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