peace lily (Spathiphyllum) are among the most recognizable houseplants. Its dark foliage and classic white flowers (in fact surrounded by modified foliage that many confuse with the flower) will fit absolutely any garden or interior design.
Along with the design benefits, they’re also remarkably easy to care for, requiring a bit of sun and a little extra water to thrive for years.
Related Reading: 7 Reasons Your Peace Lily Leaves Are Turning Yellow and How to Fix It
With their great looks and easy care, you won’t want these ideal houseplants again.
Fortunately, growing more peace lilies is an incredibly easy process. It also costs little or no money, thanks to the power of reproduction.
Peace lilies cannot be propagated by stem cuttings or seed. Well, technically they can be propagated by seed, but the process would take several years and an enormous amount of patience.
Instead, you can propagate Peace Lilies by division. In an afternoon, you can turn an existing plant suitable for propagation into two or three plants.
Follow these easy steps to double or triple your inventory in less time than ordering a new plant online.
Contents
How to propagate peace lilies by division.
prepare the ground
To grow healthy plants, you need good soil. For peace lilies to be planted in containers, the soil should be loose and well-drained, like most houseplants. This is especially important for peace lilies left in low light environments, as the soil evaporates much more slowly than if the plant is in a brighter location, leaving the roots trapped in water if the soil does not is not sufficiently drained.
Soil straight from the garden is not suitable for planting, as it is usually too compact and does not drain well enough for containers. It can also carry weeds or pests and diseases that hide in the ground and affect the fragile new growth of your divisions. Even standard potting soil, generally suitable for container planting outdoors, may not drain well enough for your indoor plants.
Preparing your own potting soil is the best way to ensure your Peace Lily has the right growing environment.
I used a mix of two parts potting soil, completed with one part coconut fiber and one part perlite. Coconut and perlite lighten the mix and improve drainage, preventing root rot. Coconut can also replace peat if you already have some on hand.
remove the plant
Set the potting soil aside to prepare it for division. You must start by taking the plant out of its existing pot.
Your chosen plant should be large enough to split into several sections (or at least split into two) with enough roots in each section to support growth.
The best time to divide is when your plant shows signs that it needs to be repotted, as this indicates that it outgrows its current pot and is ready to divide. Here are five signs that your peace lily needs to be repotted.
If it’s in a plastic pot, gently squeeze the sides of the pot to loosen the soil around the sides. If the pot is not flexible, you can run a clean knife around the edge to loosen the plant. Lay it on its side and gently lift it off the base, being careful not to damage the leaves in the process.
Watering a few days before division will make the elimination process much easier. You can also shake off the excess soil more quickly to better see the roots.
identify divisions
Now it’s time to decide where to divide the plant and how many sections to divide it into. Remove some soil around the roots and leaves to better see each section.
Although they don’t form distinct clumps, you should be able to identify sections where you can divide the plant evenly without damaging the stems. Each section should have foliage attached to the surrounding roots.
If the plant is smaller, divide it in half to give the new divisions the best chance of survival. Larger plants can be divided as many times as desired, as long as each section has enough roots to support new growth.
Distribution
Now that your divisions have been identified, it’s time to separate each section. Smaller plants, especially when just split in half, should separate easily. Don’t worry too much about damaging the roots between divisions – they will regrow. As long as the main roots of each section remain intact, your Peace Lily should recover.
Larger plants with more divisions may require a heavier solution. As you hold each section, you can cut the roots between them with sharp shears or shears to release each split. Make sure your shears are clean and sanitized to prevent the spread of bacteria and potential diseases to the fragile new roots.
As the roots regrow, it is important to limit the damage as much as possible. This gives each new section the best start in its new pots. While you’re at it, remove any damaged leaves or flowers from the sections to direct the energy to new root growth.
replant the divisions
Collect as many pots as needed to replant. These new pots do not need to be larger than the original pot, as the smaller parts need much less room to grow. Planting in a pot that is too big also risks flooding the ground where the roots have not yet arrived.
Fill the bottom third of the pots with the prepared potting soil. For smaller divisions, you may need to fill halfway. You can also keep your divisions in the pot to measure the desired soil level and fill to that point before planting.
Place the division in this layer of soil and gently fill in around the roots with more potting soil. Fill the pot to just below the soil line, making sure the base of the plant touches this line. When full, gently press the soil around the base to hold the plant in place and eliminate air pockets.
after care
Once planted, water each division well until water runs out of the drainage holes in the bottom. Place the pots in a location with moderate indirect light, preferably where the mother plant was to limit the impact.
The leaves are likely to wilt and some turn yellow within the next few days or weeks after planting. It is a natural response to root disturbance and changing conditions. During this time, don’t worry about the plant or overwatering it; It should go back to normal on its own.
Keep your plants in these pots until they outgrow them, after which they’ll be ready to transplant or even divide further.
You’ll have a thriving Peace Lily collection in no time.