The Peace Lily is a well-known tropical Aroid that adorns living rooms and offices all over the world.
The glossy dark green leaves, along with the magnificent white blossom, can make anyone fall for the Peace Lily’s beauty.
Those of us growing Peace Lilies often see the plant growing too big for its pot, as healthy topicals often do, or we simply want to get more and more Peace Lily plants to decorate different corners of our living space.
This is where knowing about Peace Lily propagation comes in handy.
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How to Propagate a Peace Lily?
Herbaceous plants like the Peace Lily cannot be propagated through the usual stem or leaf cuttings. Propagating Peace Lily plants can be done either through reproduction through seed or clump division. While the former takes very long, separating baby plants from the mother plant through clump division and growing them separately is a much quicker way for Peace Lily propagation.
Step-by-Step Peace Lily Propagation Guide
1.Knowing If Your Peace Lily Can Be Divided
A mature Peace Lily plant produces numerous baby clumps. As the plant does not grow on a single trunk or stalk, new foliage appears directly out of the soil. The new buds that emerge from the roots slowly develop into separate plants with their own root systems that can sustain them easily.
You should know that a young plant (a plant that has seen only one growing season) isn’t very likely to have baby plants sprouting out of the soil.
The propagation by division method can only be applied with mature plants producing plenty of new foliage clumps.
Explore the base of your Peace Lily and try to count the number of individual clumps emerging out of the soil. You can identify the mother plant as the biggest one of all, while the rest are its offshoots.
If you think you’ve got a lot of clumps and they need to be separated, you can proceed to the next step.
2.Remove the Root Ball From the Pot
You should take your Peace Lily plant out in an open spot. If you can’t, use a large plastic sheet or mat, so the soil does not end up all over the place.
Lay the pot on its side and try to pull the root ball out gently. For this, hold the base of the foliage firmly but not as to harm the plant.
The plant should come out easily, but if it’s stuck inside, try tapping on the side of the pot to free the root ball.
3.Clump Separation
Separating Peace Lily clumps is the most technical part, so patience and care are integral. You can’t just simply pull the clumps apart and expect them to grow healthy.
Maintaining the root structure and health holds top-most priority. For this, gently rake off the soil to expose the roots.
It might take you a little while and is boring, but it is very often the difference between successful and unsuccessful propagation.
Alternate between your fingers and a small raking object to remove the soil until you can individually identify the root systems of the new clumps from the mother plant.
There is usually a single root connection between the mother plant and its offshoots. This root can be cut with a sharp knife, but bear in mind not to damage any other roots.
Do not separate clumps that only have very few leaves and an under-developed root system. In the end, the number of new Peace Lily plants you can get depends on the number of separatable clumps and your own choice.
4.Planting Baby Clumps
If not provided the right care, your new Peace Lilies might give up on you even if you did well while separating them. If your Peace Lily was growing well in its previous potting mix, you could use the same mix for the baby plants.
However, both the mother plant and the new ones will suffer from transplant shock. The plants may significantly droop, and some leaves might fall off. This does not mean the plant is thirsty.
Plants will display these signs even though ample water is available. Supplying excess water may result in root rot.
Place the freshly repotted plants in a warm place (above 77 F or 25 C). Direct sunlight will immediately scorch the plants, so partial shade is preferred.
Propagating Peace Lilies by Seed
Growing Peace Lilies from seed does not produce plants that are identical to the parent plant.
Although many gardeners love to experiment, you should stick to vegetative propagation if you want plants that look the same as the parent plant.
The germinating process is rather slow for Peace Lilies. You can either harvest seeds from mature Peace Lily plants or buy them online.
Harvesting Peace Lily Seeds
Seeds can only be harvested if the plant’s flowers have been fertilized and bore fruit. The chances of this happening are low if there aren’t any other Peace Lilies in close proximity.
Studies suggest that the greening of the white flower spathe indicates the plant has been fertilized. When fruiting, the spadix, or the yellow part of the flower, will turn brown.
Use a sterilized knife or blade to cut the spadix open to access the seeds. Gently remove the seeds and prepare them for sowing.
Germinating Peace Lily Seeds
Seeds are susceptible to damping off, a disease caused by soil-borne pathogens.
Damping-off leads the seed to rot or attacks the seedling just as it’s emerging. To avoid damping-off, use a germination mix that does not contain soil.
Germinating mixes usually comprise perlite, sand, peat moss, and other non-soil ingredients.
Place the Peace Lily seeds on top of the germinating mix and add a light layer of the same mix or vermiculite on top.
Don’t bury them with a lot of material. A light cover will do. Water gently.
To maintain good humidity, cover the pot with a plastic bag or piece of glass that lets indirect light pass through. Ideally, you won’t have to water again because of the already high humidity levels in the germination tray.
But if the weather has been really dry and you can’t see humidity build-up under the plastic sheet or glass, a light sprinkle may be due.
If everything goes well, you may see your Peace Lily seedlings in around ten days. But the germination period might be a lot longer if the temperature is too low.
Frequently Asked Questions about Peace Lily Propagation
How many new plants can I get from Peace Lily propagation?
If you’re propagating by dividing plant clumps, the number of new plants depends on how old the mother plant is and how many well-developed crowns there are in the root ball. You might end up with 20+ plants if you’ve got a huge Peace Lily.
Should I fertilize Peace Lily after separating clumps?
You should leave the separated clumps in their potting mix and provide them with adequate water only for the first five weeks after repotting. Adding fertilizer too early can make the roots suffer from chemical burns.
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.