Peace Lilies are one of the easiest houseplants to care for and grow. They are often given as gifts or chosen as the first plant that new plant growers get. Their pretty white flowers bloom for several months and they do not require direct sunlight.
Some people may think they won’t have any problems with growth because of their good reputation, but that’s not the case. Even though Peace Lilies can handle being ignored for a while, it is still important to give them the right growing conditions for them to thrive. Neglect, poor lighting, and improper watering can lead to a number of problems.
There are many common Peace Lily problems you may encounter in the lifespan of your plant. However, they are most easily avoidable and able to be fixed if you follow the below guide. Let us look at 15 common issues that Peace Lilies can have and what you can do to keep them from happening.
It starts with yellow leaves, which almost every Peace Lily owner will have to deal with at some point. Unfortunately, it is also difficult to resolve because there are so many causes. You should be able to fix it quickly though if you know your level of care and which problem is most likely to happen.
Like many houseplant problems, it’s usually a mistake caused by overwatering. Peace Lilies prefer moist soil, but it cannot be soggy or waterlogged. This will cause the roots to become mushy, stopping them from drawing up any more water or nutrients. One leaf at a time, the plant’s leaves slowly turn yellow until they cover the whole thing if the problem isn’t fixed.
To make things even more confusing, not enough water can also turn leaves yellow, though the tips usually turn brown at the same time. Recent repotting, cold drafts, and overfertilizing can also cause leaves to turn completely yellow.
One cause you don’t need to worry about is the age of the plant. Over time, some leaves will turn yellow and fall off the plant. As long as it’s only one or two or the oldest leaves, there is nothing to fix.
The leaves may not always turn completely yellow. To help you figure out what’s wrong, the yellowing may appear in spots and not all over the place.
It’s likely that the spots are caused by chlorosis if they look mottled, with shades of yellow and light green. This doesn’t happen very often, but it could if you’ve kept your Peace Lily in the same pot for years without fertilizing or changing the soil.
The color change is caused by a lack of chlorophyll in the leaves due to a nutrient deficiency. Fertilizing with a balanced liquid fertilizer that includes the required micronutrients should resolve the issue.
Small and circular yellow spots are usually signs of a pest problem. Any sap-sucking pests like mealybugs or thrips can leave yellow spots where they land. Look at the underside of the leaves to find the pest, then use neem oil to get rid of it.
The lush green leaves of peace lilies are one of their most attractive features. But you may notice unsightly holes appearing in the foliage, which can ruin the ornamental look of this popular houseplant.
So what causes peace lily leaves to get holes, and what should you do about it? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the various reasons for holes in peace lily leaves and provide solutions to treat the problem.
Common Causes of Holes in Peace Lily Leaves
There are several potential sources of the holes in your peace lily’s leaves
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Insect pests – Small chewing insects like spider mites, aphids, and thrips can all put holes in peace lily leaves. They damage the foliage as they feed on plant juices.
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Slugs and snails – These soft-bodied gastropods will snack on peace lily leaves overnight, leaving behind telltale slime trails.
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Fungal or bacterial diseases – Foliar diseases produce spots that can turn into larger holes if left untreated. Gray mold, leaf spot, and blight cause this
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Physical injury – Accidental pokes, abrasion, or rough handling when moving the plant can put temporary holes in leaves.
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Environmental issues – Too much or too little water, light, humidity or nutrients can stress the plant, leading to leaf damage.
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Chemical injury – Overzealous use of pesticides or accidental application of harsh chemicals burns holes in foliage.
The most common causes of unwanted holes tend to be feeding damage from pests, disease infection, or cultural problems. Let’s look at solutions for each scenario.
How To Treat Pest Damage on Peace Lily Leaves
Chewing pests like spider mites, slugs, and caterpillars make holes as they munch on plant tissue. Follow these tips to remedy the issue:
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Check undersides of leaves – Flick foliage to dislodge pests and look closely for signs of infestation. Treat when just a few bugs are seen.
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Hose down the plant – For slugs and snails, give the peace lily a strong water spray to dislodge the pests. Go out at night with a flashlight to hand pick them off.
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Use insecticidal soap – Spray insecticidal soap liberally on the plant to kill soft-bodied insects. Apply it every 5-7 days for 2-3 weeks.
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Apply neem oil – Neem oil is another effective organic pest treatment. Coat leaves thoroughly and repeat applications weekly as needed.
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Employ natural predators – Release ladybugs, lacewings or predatory mites to eat problematic pests like spider mites or aphids.
With prompt treatment, pest damage can be controlled before excessive holes ruin the ornamental value of the peace lily.
Treating Disease Causing Holes in Leaves
Fungal or bacterial diseases often first appear as small spots that expand into larger holes in peace lily leaves. Follow these tips to treat disease:
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Improve air circulation – Allow more space between plants and prune congested leaves to reduce humidity levels that encourage disease.
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Water at the base – Avoid getting water on the leaves, as this spreads spores. Water only the soil directly.
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Use a fungicide – Apply an organic copper-based fungicide spray at the first sign of infection to inhibit further spreading.
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Remove infected leaves – Prune off any leaves showing significant spots or holes to prevent disease spread. Discard the trimmings – do not compost.
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Adjust conditions – Review care practices to correct any environmental factors, like excess moisture, that facilitate disease.
Prompt removal of infected plant parts combined with fungicide application will help control foliar diseases.
Correcting Cultural Issues That Cause Leaf Holes
Environmental and care problems can also lead to damage. Here’s how to remedy cultural causes:
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Check your watering – Adjust frequency and volume to ensure the plant gets adequate water without sitting in wet soil.
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Move to a brighter spot – Relocate peace lilies getting less than 6 hours of bright, indirect light daily to a position with better exposure.
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Monitor nutrients – Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly during the growing season if leaves are pale or smaller than normal.
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Increase humidity – Raise humidity around the peace lily by misting the leaves daily or using a pebble tray. Ideal levels are 40-50%.
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Handle with care – Be gentle when moving or turning the plant to prevent accidental damage that creates temporary holes.
By tuning up your care regimen, you can remedy cultural issues leading to leaf damage.
When to Worry About Peace Lily Leaf Holes
While an occasional minor hole in a leaf or two is nothing to be concerned about, take action if you notice:
- New holes appearing rapidly on multiple leaves
- Holes surrounded by yellowing or dark borders
- Growing holes that span most of the leaf
- Webbing, sticky residue, or trails indicating pests
This level of damage signifies a spreading problem requiring quick intervention before the peace lily suffers long term.
Restore Your Peace Lily’s Beauty
Holes marring the lovely leaves of your peace lily can detract from its elegance. But with some detective work and appropriate treatment, you can solve the underlying cause and restore the plant to its full glory. Pay close attention, act promptly, and your peace lily will be back to its flawless self in no time!
Brown Spots On Leaves
There are a few things that can cause brown spots on leaves, sunlight being the most common. Because their leaves are thin and easily damaged, these plants do better when they don’t get direct sunlight. If the leaves are left in the sun for even a short time, the side that faces the sun may get big brown spots.
Much like yellow spots, pests can also cause smaller brown spots on the leaves. These usually appear yellow at first and slowly turn brown and shriveled as they begin to die off.
These spots can also spread and become larger if the problematic pests are not removed. Use insecticidal soap or neem oil as soon as you can to stop the spread.
Leaves turning brown at the tips are incredibly common in Peace Lilies and relate to a moisture issue. The most likely cause is underwatering. These plants need consistently moist (but not waterlogged) soil and love water more than most other houseplants.
If you forget to water your plants a few times, the tips of the leaves will turn brown and crisp from lack of water, and they will never go back to being green. Be sure to water at least once a week and use well-draining soil.
Although less common, lack of humidity can also be the cause. These tropical houseplants love high humidity and need at least 200% humidity to grow well. This means you should consider keeping them in a moist place, like a restroom.
If the air inside your home is too dry, the tips will keep turning brown until things get better. Don’t let the problem spread. Put the plant on a tray with pebbles and water, or use a humidifier.
Black leaves are slightly more concerning than the crispy browning leaves many Peace Lily owners are used to. This drastic change in color usually indicates a serious problem, either with pests, diseases, or excess fertilizer.
Peace Lilies are susceptible to a few fungal and bacterial diseases. Several of these can cause black spots to show up on the leaves, especially when leaf blight is present. If not resolved immediately, these spots will only grow and spread until your entire plant is infected. Quarantine any infected plants and prune away problematic areas until spots stop forming.
Pest damage can also cause black spots on leaves, although these are usually smaller and more circular. Again, the solution starts with pruning the affected leaves and quarantining the plant. Apply neem oil in regular intervals until all signs of infestation are gone.
Excessive use of fertilizer is another cause of black leaves. When indoor gardeners fertilize, they often mean well. They want to fix growth problems, make their plants healthier, or make them grow faster.
Unfortunately, applying more fertilizer than what is required usually has the opposite effect. When salts build up in the soil, they burn the roots and leaves, turning some of them black.
Only fertilize when necessary as recommended on the packaging and never apply more. If you think you may have overfed the plant, let it rest for a couple of months and then flush the soil with water until it runs clear.
Due to their thin, delicate leaves, you’re quite likely to find your plant wilting at some point. More often than not, the cause of wilting is underwatering. Even a short time of dry soil will make the leaves droop because the cells don’t have enough water. The leaves will eventually turn yellow and brown. After a quick watering, the plant should return to normal.
The opposite issue could also be the cause. Plants experiencing root rot after overwatering also begin to wilt as the roots stop drawing up any moisture. Simply assess the levels of moisture in the soil to determine if this issue is likely.
Thankfully, if you catch the problem soon, it can be reversed. If you find root rot, you should repot the plant right away and cut off any damaged roots to stop the problem from spreading.
Another issue caused by underwatering, curling occurs when the cells lack moisture. The leaves lose their shape as they can’t support the plant any longer. They start to droop and curl in different directions. Completely saturate the soil by watering from the bottom and the leaves should return to normal.
Sunlight exposure can also cause the leaves to curl. Due to their inability to handle direct sunlight, Peace Lilies curl inwards when they are exposed to too much of it to protect themselves and keep their moisture.
If the leaves on your plant are curling, move it out of direct sunlight and into a spot with bright indirect light. If any of the leaves have burned, prune them to encourage new, healthy growth.
Lack of New Leaves
If your Peace Lily hasn’t grown any new leaves in a while and the ones that are left are turning a deeper green and looking old, you may be worried. But, this is not always something to worry about.
Peace Lilies grow the most in the spring and summer, when it’s warm and the weather is most like where they come from. In the spring and summer, these plants usually grow a few new leaves. In the fall and winter, they grow fewer leaves or none at all.
If you haven’t seen a new leaf in a while, it’s time to check on the plant’s care and conditions. The most likely problem is not enough sunlight, but not enough fertilizer or water can also do the same thing. Figure out what’s probably wrong, make the necessary changes, and the plant should grow new leaves in a few weeks.
When people grow Peace Lilies, one of the most common questions they have is why they aren’t flowering. The beautiful blooms are one of the main reasons people choose them, so it’s understandable that they aren’t flowering.
With a few easy steps, you should be able to quickly find some of these classic spadix flowers and the white leaves that have been changed around them.
Start by assessing sunlight levels. People often put these plants in dark corners that don’t get much sunlight because they do well in low light. They will be able to stay alive for a short time, but not long enough to bloom any more flowers. Place them in bright indirect light if you want to get more flowers out of these plants.
If the plants aren’t having trouble with sunlight, look at the other conditions and see which ones are the most different from what they are used to in their natural environments. Stress, lack of water, lack of nutrients, or cold temperatures can also leave your plant without blooms.
Peace Lilies are popular houseplants known for their white flowers. Well, what many consider the flowers are actually modified leaves surrounding the real flower – the spadix. These modified leaves don’t always stay the bright white we look for. Sometimes, they can turn a patchy green, or they can even become completely green.
There are several causes for this relatively common issue, the first of which is overfertilizing. Sadly, flushing the extra fertilizer off the soil won’t make the flowers turn white again, but it will stop any new ones from turning color.
Excessive sunlight can also cause a color change. Since the white parts of flowers are leaves, they photosynthesise when there is a lot of light. This makes them turn color as the chlorophyll shows through. They should stay their beautiful glossy white color if you move them to a shadier spot in your home.
Unlike most of the problems on this list, brown flowers are usually not a cause for concern. They are simply part of the plant’s natural life cycle.
Just like other flowering plants, the blooms don’t last forever. And when they’re done blooming, they’ll start to turn brown and crisp up before falling off the plant. If you don’t like the look of them, simply prune them away as they begin to fade.
Flowers turning brown before they’re supposed to could also be caused by cold drafts, too much sunlight, or not getting enough water. However, these issues aren’t as common, and age is normally the culprit.
Even though Peace Lilies are only moderate growers, it is noticeable when they stop growing altogether. These plants won’t get bigger, they won’t grow any new leaves, and they won’t put out any new growth either.
The first place to check is the bottom of the pot. Your plant is root-bound if you see roots coming through the drainage holes or going around the bottom of the pot. This can be harmful to the plant if it goes like this for too long.
Peace Lilies don’t mind being squished, but if the problem doesn’t go away, the plant will stop growing until it is given more room and new soil. Repot into a pot about two sizes up and growth should return to normal.
Lack of nutrients or sunlight could also cause stunted or slow growth. To stop nutrients from leaving the soil during the growing season, mix a balanced liquid fertilizer into the soil every two months. If sunlight is the problem, move the plant to a spot with moderate to bright indirect light. Do not put the plant in direct sunlight at all costs.
Stems that are soft, droopy, and mushy and break apart when you touch them are a big problem that is hard to fix. They can be caused by disease, but most of the time they are caused by too much water or not enough drainage in the pot. When there is too much water, the roots and stems get soft and start to rot, especially near the plant’s base.
The only way to save the plant, in this case, is to repot immediately. Cut off the sick roots and stems and get rid of all the old soil, which may still have the fungus on it. Don’t fuss over the plant too much while it tries to recover. If you’re lucky, new growth will appear and if not, you may have to discard the plant.
STOP Killing Your Peace Lily | 10 Mistakes and How to Fix Them
FAQ
How to get rid of peace lily bugs?
What is making holes in my lily leaves?
Should peace lilies have drainage holes?
What to do with damaged peace lily leaves?
Do peace lilies have holes?
Peace lilies are beautiful house plants that can grow to be quite large. They produce lovely flowers and glossy green leaves, but sometimes the leaves can develop holes in them. Holes in peace lily leaves aren’t a problem you should take lightly.
How do you know if a peace lily has a hole?
If you see only one or two small holes in your Peace Lily leaves, you can usually ignore them. You’re looking at the houseplant equivalent of a skinned knee. That’s especially true if you see other signs that something has jostled your plant, such s broken stems and crumpled leaves. It’s worth giving a little thought to your Peace Lily’s location.
Why are there holes in my peace lily leaves?
Pests are the most likely reason for holes in your peace lily leaves. There is a leaf-tunneling pest, known as liriomyza melanogaster, that enjoys eating the leaf tissue. This pest is most active at night, which means many plant owners aren’t aware that they have an issue. Well, until they spot all the holes in the peace lily leaves…
Do peace lilies have bugs?
Sap-sucking pests like mealybugs or spider mites are much more common in Peace Lilies. However, these bugs don’t often leave full-on holes in the leaves. If they do, the gaps will be tiny pinholes rather than big bites. Sap-suckers will almost always leave other signs of their presence.
