How to revive a Peace lily – A dying Peace lily indicates that you need to change your care regimen.
I often thought my Lillies were dying. But wilting and drooping do not mean that your houseplants are dying plants.
These plants need a lot of water. They can be very dramatic and appear wilting fast. But in most cases, a good watering will do.
It is easy to maintain a Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) indoors. It can be upsetting if your indoor plant seems to be dying. But here is how I managed to revive my peace lilies in the past.
Main Takeaways
| Issue | Action |
|---|---|
| First Step | Identify the Problem |
| Overwatering | Drain the Potting Soil |
| Underwatering | Regular watering schedule |
| Root rot | Clean and trim roots |
| Drooping leaves | Repotting |
| Diseases | Use anti-bacterial anti-fungal sprays |
| Pests | Systemic insecticide |
Table of Contents
How to Revive a Peace Lily
A wilting or droopy Peace Lily can typically be revived by adequate watering, repotting, or treating root disease. Drooping and wilting Spathiphyllum plants are often caused by root rot, too much water, inadequate watering, transplant shock, or too much sun.
1. Identify the Problem
Identifying the root cause of the wilting peace lily is of utmost importance. First, find out what is ailing the plant and treat the problem.
Peace Lilies wilt because of inadequate water, excess water, root disease, exposure to sunshine, or shock resulting from repotting.
A way of recognizing a dying Lily is by checking the bottom parts of the leaves. If the Peace lily leaves turn yellow and drooping, the plant does not receive adequate water and is exposed to too much sunlight.
If the plant is moved to a darker area, it can reduce the water loss and stress from too much sunshine, inevitably saving the plant from dying.
2. Drain the Potting Soil
If you identify excess water as the problem for the dying Peace Lily, drain the excess water by creating holes at the base of the lily’s pot. You will notice the excess water flowing out of the bank when you’re watering it.
If no water is coming out of the bottom of the plant, it’s time to consider adding amendments to the soil or simply aerating it.
It may also be a case of repotting your Peace Lily into a more suitable container (one with drainage holes on the bottom).
Peace Lilies thrive with water if excess water does not cause drainage issues. Leaving the peace lily in a pot with extra water can decrease airflow to the roots, eventually causing root rotting and leaf wilting.
3. Timely Watering
Peace Lilies, unlike other houseplants, require more water than usual. Thus, leaving your Peace Lilies without watering for too long may cause the plant to wilt.
Ensure that you water your Peace Lily at least once weekly. During summer, sprinkle some water on the leaves each day to reduce the water loss by its leaves.
Adequate and timely plant watering with distilled water will revive the dying peace lily.
You may also find our previous article, How Does An Overwatered Peace Lily Look Like? The Answer quite useful.
4. Treating Root Rot
Drooping Spathiphyllum may mean the roots are unhealthy. The disease can be easily treated by completely treating the water, roots, and soil.
Sterilize the plant pot with hydrogen peroxide to kill the fungus, then change the soil completely and trim while cleaning the infected roots and leaves to avoid infection to other healthier parts of the plant.
If you’ve handled the play with care, it should begin to show visible signs of growing healthier in as little as a few days.
Another great resource for helping revive a Peace Lily with root rot is our guide on how to save a dying Peace Lily.
5. Vitamin B1 Treatment
Droopy leaves may be an indicator that the peace lily needs repotting. When transplanting Spathiphyllum, treat the roots with Vitamin B1 to encourage healthy root development.
Liquid Vitamin B1 or powered versions are available online and at local gardening centers.
But, If you can’t find Vitamin B1, use a starter fertilizer in its place. However, be cautious to avoid an excess application that may lead to burning or intoxication, particularly with nitrogen fertilizers.
Most liquid nutrients specially made for blooming flowers should also contain Vitamin B1 and other crucial macronutrients and micronutrients to help revive the Peace Lily.
Our Peace Lily Plant Care Guide is another excellent source of info on how to handle reviving a Peace Lily.
6. Avoid Excess Watering or Inadequate Watering
If the soil already has a lot of water, adding more will lead to drainage problems and a wilting plant due to inadequate oxygen flow to the roots.
On the other hand, not watering the plant for quite a while will only lead to the plant withering. Water the Peace Lily at least once every week and adequately to revive the peace lily.
7. Treat Diseases
The easiest way to treat Peace Lily diseases is using a foliar spray with anti-disease and anti-bacterial agents or an organic treatment. Common bacterial sprays are copper fungicides.
According to PennState University, common fungal and bacterial diseases are:
- Root Rot
- Dasheen Mosaic Virus (DMV)
- Deficiencies and burns
Alternatively, you can take samples of the Peace Lily for testing if you identify unusual symptoms related to watering the plant. The lab will recommend the correct treatment regimen for reviving the sick Peace Lily.
8. Deter Pests
Pests such as aphids, thrips, and scales infect your Peace Lily. Other common insects are mealybugs and fungus gnats.
Observer your plants closely. Prevention is the best measure against pests. You can use a neem oil spray.
Once you spot pests on your Spathiphyllum, use a general insecticide. You might have to rely on systemic insecticides for bad infestations.
I tried all the organic methods for years. But once a thrips or mealybug infestation gets bad, you must rely on something stronger. Without a systemic insecticide, I couldn’t eliminate most infestations once they were bad.
Bringing a Peace Lily Back to Life: The Basics
Saving your Peace Lily from the brink of death is daunting, especially to newbie gardeners. But if you know what to do, you’ll be reviving this perennial beauty in no time.
Just be patient to follow the nifty tips below to bring your beloved flower back to life.
But, if your Peace Lily’s already dead, you can still revive it. Don’t fret, okay?
So, first things first. Make sure that your pot has proper drainage to avoid waterlogging. Waterlogging makes breathing difficult for your Spathiphyllum. Absorbing nutrients becomes a challenge.
Change your plant’s soil if it has already been fungus-infested to counter the root rot.
Watering your peace lily at least once a week helps keep the soil moist and prevents wilting. Spritzing the leaves in the summer reduces water loss through the leaves.
Pick a spot either in your house or garden that does not receive direct light but is brightly lit so that you grow a healthy Peace lily. Please don’t leave your plant too long without water, as this will cause it to sag, wilt then die.
Why Is My Peace Lily Plant Dying?
Peace lilies are popular indoor plants that are generally easy to care for and look beautiful.
If you find your peace lily limp, don’t panic; it is a common problem that can be easily fixed. Often, the most common cause for drooping peace lilies is too much or too little water.
Poor soil conditions or the wrong soil type could slowly kill your plant.
Leaving your plant out in direct sunlight will cause it to dry out, which might be caused by low humidity levels. Your plant could also be infested with insects such as mealybugs, causing extensive damage.
A common peace lily disease, Cylindrocladium, usually causes the roots to rot, and makes the plant droopy.
A high drop or rise in temperature, more or below 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, will also cause the plant to become droopy.
How to Save an Over-Fertilized Peace Lily
To ensure your Peace Lily is shiny and healthy, you might become an overzealous plant owner and douse your plant with lots of fertilizer.
This will ultimately harm your plant as it soon starts to look droopy.
The plant will be characterized by a white, crusty buildup of fertilizer salts atop the soil and around the pot sides.
To save your peace lily, you can flush the soil with water to remove excess fertilizer from it. Drench the soil in your pot until the water runs out at the bottom, then leave it dripping for 30 minutes.
You can do this procedure at least once, but you can go twice if you want to be sure. Re-water the plant once the soil is dry again.
Removing as much of the old soil as possible is an option you can consider too.
But, you can check out using coffee grounds for your Peace Lily if you want to go into a more organic solution.
How to Save a Peace Lily from Root Rot
Overwatering house plants, more often than not, causes the root to rot, creating the perfect environment for a fungus infestation.
Trimming the affected roots will be the most effective way of fixing the root rot from your peace lily plant.
The remaining healthy roots can be disinfected with a fungicide solution to ensure the pathogens are eliminated. Then, repot the plant into a holder containing fresh soil.
But prevention is better than cure when it comes to root rot.
How to Repot your Peace Lily
Remove your peace lily from the new pot. Soak the roots for an hour in a barrel of water.
Next, you want to untangle as many roots as possible from the clump. In the old pot, place enough soil to hold the peace lily at the correct height.
Pack a handful of soil around the root as you simultaneously spread the roots. After filling the pot, soak the plant in a barrel. Let it drain completely.
Remember not to fertilize your peace lily until you see the new growth; then, you can thoroughly water it with a balanced fertilizer portion.
Caring For a Peace Lily
After a few weeks of staying in a housing, the plant will, after some time, collect a layer of dust. To have a healthy plant, you must take care of the dust.
Clean the leaves with either a damp paper towel or a moist sponge.
Trim off browned flowers and leaves for better growth.
When it comes to watering, if possible, use room-temperature, filtered water instead of tap water. Peace Lilies are sensitive to chemicals such as fluoride, commonly found in tap water, which cause brown leaf tips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Peace Lilies need a lot of water?
Peace lilies are water hungry. Water them whenever the soil dries out even slightly. They prefer moist soil.
Can I save a Peace Lily when it is completely limping?
Peace lilies can be saved in most cases. They are overly dramatic but recover quickly. Water your plant, and it will perk up in no time.
How to get rid of a pest infestation on a Peace Lily?
To eliminate a pest infestation, use neem oil and systemic insecticides. Once you spot pests, you must act fast, or the infestation will likely worsen.
Why does my Peace Lily droop even after watering?
This often is a sign of overwatering your plant, which causes the plant’s leaves to droop. Drain the soil to avoid waterlogging and check the roots for rotting. Trim off brown ends.
Why does my Peace Lily droop after repotting?
Your plant may be in shock due to excess or insufficient water. If you have just repotted your plant, ensure the soil is moist and feed it with vitamin B1; it helps counter repotting shock.
Why is my Peace Lily droopy after applying fertilizer?
Applying too much fertilizer (especially nitrogen) may cause plant intoxication and burning. Use an alternative starter fertilizer that helps with root development.
How long will it take for a Peace Lily to recover?
When you follow the appropriate steps to revive your plant, like giving enough water and placing it in a room with a warm temperature (65-75 degrees Fahrenheit), it may take up to two weeks for your peace lily to recover.
What does an overwatered Peace Lily look like?
Overwatering your peace lily over an extended period causes leaf edema. The leaf tips slowly turn brown or yellow, develop water blisters, and show no growth signs.
Why do my plant leaves have brown tips?
Extremes in moisture usually cause browning of the leaf tip in peace lilies. Don’t let your plant dry out so much that it wilts, nor should you leave it wet too long for long periods.
Why are the flowers turning into a brownish or greenish color?
You might notice the white flowers eventually fading and scathing into a green, then brown color. This is all part of the peace lily’s blooming cycle.
Closing Comments
More often than not, these indoor plants only appear to be dying. You can often revive a dying Peace Lily by watering it thoroughly.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.