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Drooping Peace Lily
Ask the Expert: Peace Lily Drooping
Hi there,
I woke up this morning and found my Peace Lily drooping severely, although all the leaves are still in green color.
I bought the plant about a couple of weeks ago. It is about 1 feet high and the condition of the plant was very good.
I was told that once a week of watering is enough; placing a tray under the pot and pour water in the tray. I was not sure and am still not sure how much water I should give to the plant. Because after the first watering I checked the soil, it was still dry. So, I gave a little bit of water time after time but the soil condition was the same.
Then, this morning the plant was showing the sign of watering.
Could you tellme what should I do?
I”m glad I found this website. Taka
Reply:
Over-watering and under-watering will cause a peace lily(spathiphyllum) to wilt (droop). When it comes to watering once a week should be enough provided that you give it adequate water. You can water one of two ways: Give it water until it starts to over-flow into the saucer or you can water and then do a moisture test. You want your soil to be moist but not soggy at all times. This means that if you stick your finger into the soil about a knuckle deep and remove some of it that you can roll the soil into a ball. When you squeeze this soil ball it should not produce a lot of water just a slight amount.
Another thing that will cause a peace lily to droop is temperature changes. If your plant is directly under an air vent the drastic change in temperature when the air comes on will cause the plant to droop.
Check both of those conditions. Once you correct the situation it should take a week or so for the plant to recover. Be patient and give it time.
I had the same problem with mine and I thought that I was over watering it, but in fact watering it once a week was not enough, so I have moved it t were there is more light and I water it 2-3 times a week but going into winter I think that once or twice will be enough. Thanks for you tips on how to care for it its very helpful indeed.
My mother has one of these plants and shame she is battling so much with it and getting it to grow, so I think I am going to pass on this post to her and she if she can get hers to start doing something.
hello,
i have had this peace lily for over ten years. it has always looked vibrant and alive. recently however the roots started coming up through the soil and it started drooping. these roots were separate from another root system so i re-potted this one in a separate pot. the other plant is flourishing but this one is still drooping. i potted it in a potting soil that is pretty wet and don’t water it to often since the soil is still wet. could the pot be to big? also, why did the roots come up through the soil in the old pot? the roots were scaly and hard. thanks for the help. i really want to save this poor plant.
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I’m confused as to which plant is still having a problem. THe original plant was at a stage in which it had outgrown its container. This is a perfect time to split the plant and create new ones or simply repot into a larger container. If the plant is still in the same container and dropping, it needs to be in a large container. If it was the plant that you separated then it is in shock and will need time to recover. One question – did the root section that you repotted have healthy leaves attached to it? If not that maybe the issue and it will take time for it to produce new ones.
Hi there
Its an old post but would like to share.
problem could be:
1. I think this plant is kept indoor from long.
2. This plant is getting humid air from the cooler or celing fan with high speed.
best way is to keep it outside under shed where the plant should get enough air…
Dont water much .. You just spray water on leafs every morning before eight. NERVER SPRAY IN THE EVENING…
Great…
the leaves seem to be fine on mine, but the flowers keep drooping once in a while, they were drooping like yesterday so i watered it and it came back to normal but today they are drooping again…
Jesse,
What type of lighting is your peace lily in? The peace lily flourishes in moderate light, and tolerates areas of low light. When the plant gets too much light, its transpiration rate is higher, which means that it loses water more quickly and it may become droopy. Here is some more information about how to care for a peace lily. Read through this article to see what else your plant may need. Hope this helps!
there is a peace lily in the office and it was over watered so one of the ladies moved it outside for about 20 minutes to “dry it out”. Now it is drooping more and the soil appears to be really dry. Should I go ahead and water it and then let it sit and recover for awhile and if so for how long?
Dottie,
If the soil is dry, saturate it, and make sure any excess water can drain away from the plant. Make sure the soil is moist but not soggy. Monitor the plant; give it water when the soil begins to dry out. The leaves should start to perk back up in a few days! Hope this helps!
Hello! I recently repotted my peace lily by just putting it into a larger pot (I did not split it). As I was doing this it seemed like the roots were moldy, since they had a white, fuzzy layer on them, put overall the plant was healthy. So I just placed it into a new pot and put a little bit of organic fertilized (ground egg shells and coffee grounds) . Since then the plant has not been too happy but i have been trying to water it a little less. But then Ii went out of town for a couple of days and when I got back half of the flowers were dark brown and the leaves were withered to the table. I really don’t know what to do. I have been researching this so much and i could really use some help! Thanks so much!
Melissa,
Newly repotted peace lily plants suffer from transplant shock. To help your plant recover you will want to minimize any additional stress. Keep the soil moist but not wet until the roots have had enough time to become firmly established. (This normally takes around 2-3 weeks.) I wouldn’t give it anymore fertilizer until you start to see some active growth. Your peace lily should recover once it has adjusted to the new environment! Hope this helps!
We have beautiful peace lilies and they looked very healthy until this week. I did a finger test on the soil and it is moist. The pots are big enough. The only changes in the house is the we had new windows put in last week and the air outside was chilly. The installation took about three hours per Room so there was a definite temp change in the rooms. Now these peace lilies are drooping. The peace lilies I have in other rooms that did not have the windows replaced are fine.
Will cooler than normal temps in the house affect the peace lilies??
Karen,
Yes, the shock from going from a warmer area immediately into a colder one will put the plant into shock. Peace lilies should not be exposed to temperatures lower than 55 degrees. The leaves that are drooping should come back in a few days. Keep us posted!
We just bought a new peace lily yesterday. It was repottes. When it got to the apartment yesterday afternoon the leaves were dropping but were purged back up after a few hours. But this morning they were down again and stray down through out the day and dropped even more. The soil is moist and no water was given after it arrived so it shouldn’t be overwatering. Is this normal like it is still in shock? thank you
Ian,
Most likely your Peace Lily is still in shock from the repotting. Sometimes is can take a week or two for it to adjust to its new home. As long as you are watering properly and it has the right amount of light, it should perk back up. You may also want to check the soil level, and make sure the plant has been replanted at the same depth it was before repotting.
Hope this helps!
I had a peace lily for two years in one apartment, and it was fine and happy. Then I moved to a new apartment. First, the leaves got sunburned, so I moved the plant to a spot with no direct sunlight (hard to find). Pretty soon, some new leaves sprouted up, and I cut away a few of the badly-burned leaves. Now some of the new leaves have wilted and then shriveled up and fallen off without turning brown or yellow. The first to go were the newest, which hadn’t even unfurled yet. Then two of the larger new leaves died the same way. I’m worried that my plant won’t have enough leaves, and I want to help it recover from the sun damage it got in July. I water it once per week until water comes out into the saucer, then I empty the saucer. I fertilize it ~ every two weeks. I repotted it a year ago into a pot that is about 2 inches bigger in diameter than the original pot, which was by then much too small. The soil is currently covered by a layer of sand to keep out fungus gnats. Can you give me some advice for how to nurture this struggling plant? Thanks.
Hi Kaitlin,
It sounds like your plant may be getting too much water. Try testing the soil by sticking your finger in up to the first knuckle. If the soil feels moist, you should probably wait to water your peace lily. Also, you may be over fertilizing your peace lily. They only need to be fertilized about once a month. Peace lilies are also very sensitive to chlorine, so you may want to try using distilled water, or allowing your water to sit overnight so the cholorine can evaporate before using it to water your peace lily. Hope this helps!
Should you tie the bottom of the plant when it’s drooping or allow it to droop freely?
Tisha,
The plant should be fine if you allow it to droop. However, if your plant is drooping, you may want to find out what is causing it to do so. Over and under-watering, as well as temperature changes, can cause your plant to droop.
i just my peace lily yesterday afternoon. it looked fine this morning but by the afternoon it started drooping. the peace lily is by my window and gets only indirect, somewhat bright light. what should i do?
my sister in law gave me a peace lily that they her husbands word place sent when his mother died a month ago it was in a basket and was water logged , I repotted it today but didn’t water it since I still left the old soil on it to ,should I water it or wait , and if I wait how long should I wait
Hi Crystal,
The plant will likely experience some shock from the transplantation, so it might appear a little droopy for a week or two. As far as the watering, make sure the new pot is well draining, and test the soil prior to watering. You can check the soil by sticking your finger into the soil up to the knuckle. Pull out a little of the soil and try to roll it into a ball. If you can roll it into a ball, squeeze it. If water comes out, the plant is getting too much water. If no water comes out, it is just fine, and if you can not roll the soil into a ball, then you should evenly water the plant until water drains from the bottom of the pot. Watering once a week is usually all a peace lily needs. Good luck!
Hi Sharon,
Your peace lily could be reacting to the change in environment, causing it to go through shock. This is common and could be causing it to droop and could last one to two weeks. Your peace lily could also be reacting to the bright sunlight, and the constant changes in temperature that happens from sunlight during the morning and during the afternoon. Try placing your peace lily in a part of your home that receives sunlight but has a constant temperature.
Some of the leaves looks like they’re shriving up. I thought I was watering it properly, not sure if it was too much. Any ideas?
Hi Cindy,
If you’re unsure if you are over or underwatering your peace lily, try sticking your finger into the soil up to the first knuckle, and pulling a little soil out. If you can roll the soil into a ball, squeeze it. If water comes out, you are probably overwatering. If you can roll it into a ball, but none or very little water comes out, the water level is fine. If you can’t roll it into a ball at all, then you should water. The leaves can also be a good indicator of over or underwatering. If they turn brown with no yellowing, it is likely from lack of water. If they turn yellow, then brown, you are probably overwatering.
Fluctuations in temperatures can also cause the leaves to droop. If your plant is located near an air vent, you will want to move it.
Hello my lily was perfectly fine but I decided to place it outside so it can get some sunlight now it’s dropping what do I do? The soil is moist enough?!
Hi Amanda,
Your lily is probably experiencing shock from the change in its environment. Also, peace lilies are shade-loving plants and like bright, filtered light, so direct sun exposure isn’t the best for it. Extreme temperature changes are a common cause of a drooping peace lily, also. If your plant was happy and healthy growing indoors, I would leave it there.
hi my name is Tanya my peace lily I got when my mom passed oct 25 2017 is drooping and I don’t know what to do I gave it water if that was what was wrong how long will it take to pick back up or what else could be wrong
Hey Tanya,
You should check your plant’s soil to make sure it is evenly moist, but not soggy. You can do this by sticking your finger in to the first knuckle and pulling out a little of the soil. You should be able to roll this soil into a ball and have very little water come out when you squeeze it. If you can’t roll it into a ball, your plant needs water. If you squeeze it and a large amount of water comes out, then you’re overwatering. Also check to make sure your peace lily isn’t in the path of any air vents and is in indirect light. It can take a couple of weeks for your peace lily to perk back up.
I have had a peace lily for a few months and only water it once the leaves start drooping. Recently i watered it again and im not sure if i overwatered it as soil was still reasonably dry after giving it water so inadded more. The stems and leaves are more wilted than ever but still green and the soil is still damp. Is there something i can do to try and fix this ?
If the soil has been drying between waterings, then your plant was most likely being underwatered, and now it sounds like it has possibly been overwatered. The soil should be kept evenly moist. Correct the watering issue and it should recover. Have patience and give it a couple weeks to return to normal.
Given your name, I hope you can help me because finding your website seems to have been meant to be. After the death of my two-year-old grandson (Jamison Bennett Watters) in 2009, I received several flowers and potted plants. One in particular remained healthy and I began to call it my Jamison plant. It has been fine all these years but has recently started to droop. Typically I know that means that it needs water. However, that hasn’t helped. I have re-potted into a larger home without success. Finally, I separated the ‘plan-lets’ into two different pots to give the roots plenty of room. Unfortunately, it’s still droopy. The leaves still appear to be green, with plenty of shine, but haven’t revived even though it has been several days since the re-potting. Any suggestions?
Hi Margie,
It sounds like you have done the correct thing for your plant. Sometimes it can take them a couple of weeks to perk back up. Continue caring for it properly, and give it some time.
Greetings ..Help! I believe my once thriving Peace Lily is in shock. In March I purchased a peace lily in a 4 inch pot it grew rapidly so in April it was repotted to a 7in pot. Fast forward 2 weeks ago I purchased a Croton in a 1 in pot which it out grew rapidly. Two days ago I decided to repot the croton in the 7 in pot which held the peace lily and repot it in a beautiful 10 inch since it was growing rapidly. Unfortunately that hasn’t went well my plant is drooping worst everyday, the lily themselves which were blooming are completely wilted, and this morning when I stuck my hand in organic soil it was definitely over watered…Is it possible to save my once thriving peace lily ?
Joy,
I feel that you may have repotted your peace lily too quickly. I would consider putting it back into a 7-inch pot. Allow the soil to dry out and get it on a consistent watering schedule.
Hi im having trouble with my peace lily I’ve had it for three years it grew very large I decided to repotted this year once I did not only did it drew the thick stalks are bent all the way over I can’t really just drive it but drooping is an understatement for my plant I’m so stressed out can someone please help me do I need to repot it over it’s been 3 days and doesn’t seem like it’s getting any better
Denise,
Your plant is in shock. It can take several weeks for it to return to normal. The important thing is to continue caring for it in the manner you always have.
I think I drowned my peace lily. I live in Alabama or so I said it out on my balcony so it can dry up. You think there’s a chance it’ll come back and if so how long should I keep it outside
Hi Annette,
There could be a chance that it does come back. Check it daily to make sure the soil doesn’t dry out. Then just continue keeping the soil moist and not overflow it with water.
Hi,
Do peace lilies droop when they receive too much light? Half of my peace lily appears to be drooping, and its the side in front of the window. Or could it be due to a draft from the window? Thank you
I repotted my peace lily yesterday and this morning it looked really droopy. I just realized I did it the wrong way because I did not put enough soil in the bottom and too much on top of it, wich is not recomended. Can I fix my mistake by taking it out of the pot or do you think I’d better leave it alone for a while. I don’t want to shock it again, on the other hand I want to fix the problem…
Hi Angie,
It’s best to let the plant be for a little bit to readjust. Check out this blog for a more in-depth answer here: https://www.flowershopnetwork.com/blog/peace-lily-in-shock-what-to-do/
Hi Marcy,
It does sound like your peace lily is droopy due to too much light. Peace lilies like moderate light. When it receives too much light it loses water quicker and then becomes droopy.
Hello
I need help with the peace lily I recently bought a peace lily from amazon and I waited 6 days to shipped then it got shipped 1 day later and I received it in a big tall box and it was dropping to one side please help I don’t know what todo,
Hi Paul! A drooping peace lily usually is a sign that it needs water. Try planting it in moist soil, but make sure it’s not soggy. Keep an eye on it and if it doesn’t perk up in a few days, try adding more water to the soil or moving it to a spot with good indirect sunlight.