Peace lily plants are perennials that can live for over two years. During this time, they can bloom more than once, making them a great addition to any home or office.
Yet, sometimes, your white peace lily flower will turn an unattractive shade of brown. Why? Well, even if you think you’re doing everything right, you could be missing some key elements. So, the plant feels stressed out, or it’s not getting all the proper care it needs to stay healthy.
In this article, we’ll discuss possible causes for your peace lily flowers turning brown. We’ll also talk about various care and maintenance tips to ensure your plant lives a long, blooming life.
Let’s get started.
5 Reasons Why Your Peace Lily Flower Is Turning Brown
Peace lilies are one species in the Spathiphyllum genus that belong to the Araceae, or the Arum, family. Other members of this family include Calla lilies, philodendrons, and
jack-in-the-pulpit.
These plants are relatively easy to care for. They don’t require much attention, and they’re not particularly high-maintenance.
Yet, when they don’t get the right amount of water, light, and nutrients, they tend to respond by turning brown.
Now, while the leaves of this houseplant can also become brown, it’s usually for different reasons than when the flowers turn brown. Just to clarify, this article focuses mainly on the discoloration of the flowers, also known as the spadix.
- It’s the End of Their Life Cycle
We mentioned earlier that peace lilies are perennials. They live for two continuous growth cycles before dying off and beginning a new one the following spring.
During the growing season, a healthy plant should produce several blooms at a time. Not only that, but it should also bloom once or twice a year, typically starting in late spring or early summer.
These blooms usually last anywhere between 10–14 days, with some lasting an entire month.
So, if your plant is doing well, then the white blooms start turning brown; this means they’ve reached the end of their life cycle.
Then, once the flowers fade, the plant goes into a period of non-blooming rest and recovery that can last from a few months up to a full year.
After that, it starts its blooming period again. Keeping your plant healthy and happy during its rest period will produce healthy and happy blooms.
Sometimes, it can even produce anywhere between one to three flowers simultaneously.
Also Check: Low Maintenance Flowering Bushes
- Stress
When plants don’t receive the proper care and maintenance they need to thrive, they become stressed and unhappy.
As for your peace lily, there are several factors that can cause it to become stressed and anxious.
These include the basics, such as improper watering and inadequate light conditions.
It can also include things that can be a bit more difficult to determine. For example, a couple of common problems include that the quality of the soil isn’t as it should be or that the plant is suffering from nutrient deficiencies.
If you suspect your plant is under stress, make a list of all possible causes. Then, go through them one by one.
- Too Much Direct Light
The peace lily plant doesn’t do well in any type of direct, bright light. In other words, it thrives in areas with mostly indirect sunlight, preferably shaded or partially shaded areas.
Too much direct light will dry out and weaken the flowers, causing them to become brown and wilt.
It’s worth mentioning, however, that too little light can slow down the development and growth of the spadix.
This is the part that protrudes from the flower itself. It’s basically a pale-colored spike covered in many small-sized yellow flowers.
The spadix is wrapped in a white sheath-like covering called the spathe.
- Over or Under-Watering
Peace lily plants are pretty sensitive to the amount of water they’re getting.
On the one hand, they like being in moist soil. Still, they can’t tolerate heavy watering that results in boggy, muddy puddles.
So, if you often water your peace lily plant excessively, it could be one reason the flowers are turning brown and dying.
Likewise, just as overwatering can sabotage healthy leaves and flowers, underwatering can cause just as much damage.
Not giving your peace lily plant sufficient amounts of water can result in the flower turning a dull shade of brown before it’s had a chance to form fully.
- Cold or Hot Air Blasts
Is your peace lily plant in an area near a heating vent, air conditioner, window, or doorway? Then, it could constantly be exposed to drafts of cold or hot air blowing onto the leaves and flowers.
Both the plant itself and its blooms are generally fond of being in calm areas that don’t get a lot of gusts of wind. However, even a slight, yet continual, breeze that blows into the plant can cause the flowers to turn brown, wilt, and fall off.
How to Remove Brown Flowers
If your crisp white peace lily blooms suddenly turn brown, it’s best to remove them to keep the plant itself in good health.
With your finger, trace the flower stalk until you reach the base of the plant. Then, using a sharp pair of clean kitchen scissors, cut off the stalk.
You can also use some pruning shears or garden clippers if you have any on hand.
Remember to avoid pulling out or tugging at the stalk. It’ll most likely damage the entire plant and kill off its roots.
Another critical thing to remember is to always slice off the stalk at an angle.
It’ll help promote healthy flower growth when it’s time for the plant to bloom once again, which can take anywhere from several months to a year.
Just make sure you provide it with the ideal growing conditions, and it’ll repay you with beautiful, bright, healthy blooms.
Read more: 15 Flowers That Symbolize Peace
Tips to Make Your Peace Lily Flowers Last Longer
Typically, a peace lily plant will only flower once it’s grown to maturity. However, if the growing conditions aren’t to its liking, the plant won’t bloom at all.
So, when your plant finally does bloom, take it as a sign that you’re doing everything right for your plant.
Use these tips to keep your peace lily flowers in bloom for as long as possible.
Keep the Soil Moist
The best type of soil for your peace lily plant should be well-draining yet still able to hold the needed amount of moisture to keep the plants healthy. Blended potting mixes, such as perlite, loam, coir, or peat moss, are the most suitable for this plant.
To make sure this happens, it’s best to water your plant no more than 2–3 times a week, depending on the season.
Also, keep in mind that this plant is highly sensitive to the chemicals in tap water. So, for long-lasting blooms, always water the plant using distilled or filtered water.
Use Pots with Draining Holes
Most plants don’t like sitting in stagnant water, including peace lilies. Thus, it’s vital that you place your peace lilies in a pot with draining holes.
This will ensure that any extra water will seep freely out of the holes rather than remain in the soil.
These types of pots prevent possible problems, such as root rot, excessive nutrient build-up, and bacterial growths that can be a result of waterlogged soil.
Keep Away from Direct Light
To prevent peace lily blooms from turning brown, place them strategically in areas with low light or shade.
The best place would be near an east or north-facing window. It’ll help provide them with adequate amounts of natural light to stay healthy, but without any of the stress-inducing direct rays of the sun.
Alternatively, if you want to put them near a window that receives direct sunlight, then position them several feet back. This way, they benefit from being near natural light but without direct exposure to the harsh sun.
Increase the Temperature
Despite the fact that peace lily plants don’t like direct light, they somehow manage to do well in warm temperatures. As a matter of fact, warm weather conditions encourage them to bloom faster.
Ideal temperatures are those that range between 65℉ and 86℉. Maintain these temperatures all year long to promote healthy, flourishing blooms.
Add Fertilizer
Peace lily plants need fertilizer to provide them with the nutrients and minerals they need. The best type should be water-soluble with a balanced ratio of 20-20-20.
You’ll only need to fertilize once at the start of spring and a second time in the middle of summer. After adding the fertilizer, water the base of the plant to ensure the fertilizer spreads evenly into the soil.
A Final Note
Peace lily plants are often recommended for beginners. They make great indoor plants for your home or office because they’re low-hassle and quite robust.
We hope this article covered the basic guidelines of what to do when your peace lily flower starts turning brown.
The good news is that whatever is causing their discoloration, they can quickly bounce back to full health. Just follow our tips, and you’ll be able to enjoy long-lasting, thriving blooms.