Find Your Ask the Expert: Where do I cut off spent blooms on a peace lily?
Hi there,
I took home a beautiful peace lily plant from my father’s funeral back in October of 2008. Since then its been full and green and has had lots of blooms. My question is when you say follow the bloom stalk to the to the base of the plant and cut it, does that mean to cut the leave that it is attached to as well? I have cut off spent blooms only at the base of the stem that is attached to the leaf, as the leaf is green and healthy, by cutting the stem of the flower there I have had no damage to the leaf and the plant has been blooming more flowers. My concern is that since cutting it there it has had no more blooms in the same spot. Right now I have a bloom that will soon have to be taken off and this particular one is attached to a leaf that its stalk is attached to two other big and healthy leaves. In a nut shell: should I see blooms in the same spot where I cut the dead ones off? And am I cutting in the right spot? If I cut at the base of the plant, I dont get any more growth in that same spot the stem turns yellow and is easily pulled out. Melanie
Plant Expert Reply:
The proper place to cut the spent peace lily bloom is at the base of the plant and only the bloom stalk. Whether you cut the leaf off or not, a bloom will not develop from exactly the same spot as before. Now I am a little confused as to “stem turns yellow and is easily pilled out”. Do you mean the bloom stalk or the leaf stem? You should cut the bloom stalk so that nothing is left to turn yellow. That is why you go all the way the base of the plant where the bloom stalk orginates to cut it off. If the leaf stem is turning yellow then, you may be damaging the leaf when you cut the bloom stalk off. If the leaf stem looks damaged in any way, you need to remove it for the health of the plant. Sometimes because the way the blooms is positioned, I have to cut a leaf off as well. Trimming your peace lily will not damage it.
Hi Jamie,
Thank you for your quick reply, I have attached some pictures to better
describe what I am trying to say. The leaf stalk is what turns yellow even
if cut at the base, but as you can see, I am getting new leaves and lovely
new blooms. The picture of the bloom is my dilema, the bloom has pollen
falling off of it, so it will soon be time to remove it….it is attached to
the lovely leaf and that leaf is attached on a stalk with two other
leaves…if I cut the bloom I will be cutting the whole stem and fear
killing the rest of the stalk.
Thanks,
Mel
Attached Image: peacelily2.jpg
I received all of your pictures not just the one showing. After looking at the pictures I understand what you are talking about. When you cut the bloom stalk or any leaf off you need to do it at a 45degree angle. If you don’t cut it at an angle it will cause the yellowing die-back you are seeing.
As for the bloom you need to remove that is on a long stem with leaves, you can cut the bloom off at a 45 degree angle right at the point where the bloom stem and leaf stem meet. This should allow for the removal of the bloom without damaging the leaves.
Hope this helps.
Thank you very much, taking your advice I am sure will keep my plant happy and healthy. Thanks again for your time.
Cheers,
Mel
My peace Lilly did great last year when I bought it. Now the Lillies don’t fully bloom. They start out green then begin to turn white but stop turn brown and weather. They never get bigger than a couple of inches. Any suggestions?
Kh,
peace lilies are known to be sporadic bloomers especially in low light levels. So you might want to place the plant in more light.
I have a peace lily from my brothers funeral that has done very well for six years. Recently I must have over watered it because the entire plant has been drooping for almost two weeks. Is there anyway to save it?
Deanne,
Make sure the plant is draining away the excess water, then make sure to get back on track with the right amount of water. Something else you might consider is that the plant is dropping because it needs to be re-potted. If the roots are coming out of the top or if the plant seems crowded, re-pot the plant into a container half-again as big as the current one. Hope this information helps.
Thanks so much. I thought maybe I should cut it way back but I’ll try your suggestion first.
My peace lily was in a hot room over night and since then almost all the leaves have turned brown and crunchy. I know that pruning is necessary but I need help in knowing how to do it without harming my plant. Can you help me?
Hi Dana,
To prune the leaves from your peace lily, simply follow the leaf stem to the base of the plant and cut off.
Hope this helps!
Thank you I will do that – would it help for me to add new soil to the top?
I cut off a lot of the dead stuff, I am a little afraid to cut down to the base as the stalks still seem really green and alive. I am trying to attach an image.
You will want to keep the soil at the same level it has always been at.
As long as you don’t cut into the stalk, it shouldn’t damage it. If your stalk is good and healthy, I think your peace lily will recover! Let us know how it works out.
what can I so with the bloom once I have cut it away from the plant
If you are cutting the bloom away after it has died, you can either throw it in the trash or add it to your compost pile, if you have one.
I have a peace lily and I noticed the leaves are looking like something chewed on them and they are turning brown and yellow I than noticed tiny white bugs in the soil what do I fo
You can go to your local garden center and get an insecticde. Take a picture of the insects and the plant and they will be able to help you find the right one.