Let’s be honest; what makes a Peace Lily attractive is its blooms. Nobody pays attention to the foliage. However, while the blooms last in the shop, they rarely show up again at home. So, how long do Peace Lily blooms last?
Peace Lily blooms typically last for one to two months. This might occur once or twice per year, depending on the species. Typically, Peace Lilies would bloom once a year between January and August. However, some Peace Lilies can bloom again in Autumn. To make them bloom again, growers use Gibberellic acid. Alternatively, you can follow care tips, like using grow lights.
In this article, we’ll detail how long Peace Lilies can stay in bloom. We’ll also give tips for making them bloom again.
What Affects Peace Lily Blooms?
Not all blooms will last for the same period. Here are the factors affecting a Peace Lily’s blooming.
1. Maturity
Your Peace Lily needs to be at least one year old to start blooming. However, you can expect it to bloom later if it’s growing slowly.
2. Light
The photoperiod doesn’t affect most Peace Lily cultivars. Instead, they’ll respond to the amount of light they receive. In many cases, more light will encourage Peace Lilies to bloom.
3. Season
Most Peace Lily cultivars, like Petite, Tys Pride, and Viscount, will bloom in a specific season. The blooming season also varies depending on the species of the plant.
4. Temperature
Researchers have tried to identify the best growing conditions for plants using growth chamber experiments. They found that the optimum temperature for Peace Lilies is 72°F.
Which Chemicals Make Peace Lilies Bloom?
Nobody would buy a Peace Lily without its stunning white spathe, right? That’s why commercial plant breeders use a treatment to keep the plant in bloom while it stays on the store shelf.
You can use the same treatment if you’re after more predictable blooming. Here’s how growers get around the limitations of blooming seasons.
Gibberellic Acid
The treatment that the growers use is called Gibberellic acid, which affects the overall development of the plant. The reason for using Gibberellic acid is that Peace Lilies have a maximum of two blooming cycles in a year.
Although Gibberellic acid is a naturally occurring hormone in plants, additional amounts allow growers to skip those blooming cycles. Thus, they could initiate flower buds at any time of the year using the treatment.
Once sprayed, you can expect the Peace Lily to bloom within 70 to 110 days.
Disadvantages of Gibberellic Acid
Although you’ll probably have more predictable blooms, Gibberlic acid has some side effects.
First, the treatment can affect the natural blooms of the Peace Lilies after you stop using it. That’s why you might find it difficult to get your Peace Lily to bloom again even though it always had blooms in the shop.
When growers use Gibberellic acid, you’ll find it more difficult to initiate the natural blooms of your own plant at home.
Additionally, if you use this treatment, some of the blooms can get distorted. Another drawback that researchers recognized was that some of the new leaves became narrow.
Perhaps the most concerning issue is the environmental impact of using chemicals to extract Gibberellic acid. That’s why you might prefer using the following natural care tips.
How to Make a Peace Lily Bloom Naturally?
If you’re thinking that Peace Lily blooms don’t last long enough, there’s a chance to make them bloom again at home.
Here are some ways you can make Peace Lilies bloom more frequently.
1. Ensure Optimum Light Conditions
It can be tricky to find the perfect balance for Peace Lilies when it comes to light. If you keep them in direct sunlight, their leaves will suffer from discoloration.
On the other hand, if they don’t get enough light, they won’t undergo enough photosynthesis for blooming.
It’s best to keep Peace Lilies within close reach of a window that receives indirect light. You can place it behind other plants on the windowsill for shade. Alternatively, you can use artificial grow lights, which can give you more control over the period of light received.
Peace Lilies that grow in greenhouses typically have partially-shaded environments. So, you can try to replicate this situation at home to encourage more blooming without damaging the foliage.
2. Use Fertilizers
Did you know that Peace Lilies are relatively hungry plants? In other words, your plant needs a good amount of minerals to grow its lush foliage and elegant white spathes.
You can use store-bought fertilizers, like Miracle-Gro. Alternatively, you can stuff some shredded banana peels in your plant’s soil. It’ll gradually release potassium and other nutrients that’ll boost your Peace Lily’s health.
3. Maintain Moisture and Humidity
The appetite of Peace Lilies isn’t limited to nutrients. They’re also on the lookout for more water. We recommend using a moisture meter to ensure they’re getting enough water.
Additionally, as tropical plants, Peace Lilies need to stay in a humid environment. So, try to keep them away from dry air currents at home.
You can also place the plant’s pot in a water container with some pebbles underneath to keep it elevated. This way, the water under the pot will gradually evaporate, keeping the air humid around the pot.
To ensure your plants don’t suffer from root rot, you can use terracotta pots. Those pots are porous, so they’ll let excess water out.
4. Re-Pot the Plant
Many of us would only consider transferring our plants to give them a stylish container. However, we need to move plants to another pot once the roots have overgrown, because the soil won’t be providing enough nutrients.
A good way to know if it’s time to re-pot is to take the plant out and investigate the mesh of roots. If the roots are showing from all sides of the soil bulk, then it’s time to repot.
An additional sign for transferring is when roots start growing out of the draining holes at the base of the pot.
In case you want to keep the same plant size, you can just cut the roots and add more soil to the same pot. This root trim will also encourage the Peace Lily to grow new healthier roots.
5. Prune Your Plant
If you want to take your plant a step further, you can cut the blooms to encourage the growth of more blooms. This process, known as deadheading, is commonly used by growers to remove fading flowers and leaves.
Typically, breeders would cut the flower head and leave the remaining stalk, which will grow a new flower. However, in the case of Peace Lilies, you’ll have to cut the bloom at the base of the stalk. This will encourage a new stalk to grow, which should eventually bloom.
Once your Peace Lily blooms start turning into a brown color, you can begin the pruning process. We would recommend disinfecting the tools between each cut to prevent the spreading of any potential diseases.
Wrap Up
Finally, how long do Peace Lily blooms last?
The natural blooming cycle of Peace Lilies lasts for around three to four months in a year. However, there are ways to get around this limitation to enjoy more frequent blooms.
The first and most common commercial option is Gibberellic acid, which encourages the plant to bloom within two and a half to four months. Still, if chemicals aren’t your way to go, you can follow the basic care tips for Peace Lilies.
Altogether, Peace Lilies are one of the most forgiving houseplants. So, be patient with its blooming. After all, blooms are only the cherry on top of their attractive green foliage.
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