How To Prune A Peace Lily
Peace lily (Spathiphyllum floribundum) is a popular houseplant with glossy, dark green leaves. In addition to its good looks, this winter flowering favorite is easy to grow and pest-free. The plant produces fragrant white flowers on tall stems from mid-winter through spring. With proper care, you can expect your plant to grow up to 1.5 feet tall and wide in the growing season. Read on to find out the steps to take on how to prune a peace lily.
When to Prune Peace Lilies
As the name implies, the peace lily is a low-maintenance favorite that can grow in most lighting conditions and temperatures without much fuss. However, it still needs some general care to look its best through the seasons. Here’s how to prune a peace lily.
Trimming During the Growing Season
Late spring through summer is the ideal time to prune peace lilies. At this time of year, new growth appears on tall stems that gradually fill up with leaves as they mature. Trim off any old lower leaves after flowering has ended to make room for fresh foliage, which will grow until the first fall frosts.
Taller stems with leaves should be cut back to around six inches high, and short branches with emerging flowers should be trimmed back further until the plant grows new blooms. Prune off any brown leaves or buds as well because these signals that your peace lily is beginning to slow down for its winter rest period.
When Not to Prune Peace Lilies
Although it is possible to prune peace lilies at any time of the year, it is best not to cut your plant during its rest period. Stop all fertilization and trim off spent flowers and leaves if you notice them beginning to turn yellow and wilt around this time. However, avoid cutting off the leaves that are located in the center of the plant. These are essential for photosynthesis, which is how your peace lily produces energy all year long.
Why Prune Peace Lilies
Although peace lilies can grow well without pruning them, it’s best to keep your plant in tip top shape by trimming off any older or yellowing leaves whenever you notice them. Regular pruning will not only make your peace lily look healthier but also help boost its growth productivity because it stimulates new stem growth and more flowers.
How to Cut Peace Lilies Back
It’s easy to cut back a peace lily just take some clean garden shears and snip off old stems at their base right next to the soil. Avoid cutting green stems and, instead, leave those alone as they will continue to grow throughout the summer.
When to Cut Peace Lilies Back
Trimming your peace lily’s growth during the spring and summer months is a good idea not only to remove yellowing leaves but also to encourage new leaf growth for the upcoming winter flowering period. If you’re unsure if it’s time to prune your peace lily back or want more specific guidance on how much to cut off, just follow these steps:
1. The first thing you should do before pruning any plant is turn it upside down so that all of its leaves are hanging freely from their base. This simple step allows you to see exactly where old branches end and new stem growth begins.
2. Once you have located the part of the stem that looks fresh and thick, cut your peace lily back along this line with sharp garden shears to remove any dried-up branches so only new growth remains. If it’s summertime, keep cutting back until you’ve removed all stalks but try not to leave stubs because they will die off anyway in the fall when it is time for your plant to rest.
3: Alternatively, if it’s springtime and your peace lily has produced buds and flowers on its tall stems you can cut those stems right at ground level or just above a lower leaf node without having to worry about damaging the plant as long as there are no noticeable brown leaves among the green ones.
4. If you’re not sure if your peace lily needs pruning, don’t worry it’s common for new gardeners to get confused about when and how much to trim but the best way to find out what you can do is just watch it.
When leaves start to wilt or brown around the edges of each stem it usually means that your plant has reached the end of its life cycle and its time for winter sleep.
At this point, cut all dead stems down at ground level with clean garden shears and discard them along with any yellowed leaves that are scattered around your plant then leave your peace lily alone until springtime when it will begin growing again.
When NOT to Cut Peace Lilies Back
It’s best to steer clear from pruning peace lilies during the plant’s rest period which is usually from mid-autumn until spring. During this time, your plant will not only look lifeless but it won’t be producing any new leaves or stems either so any heavy trimming you do can actually damage it and even kill it.
Conclusion
Pruning a peace lily is easy and should be done year-round to keep your plant looking fresh and healthy. Regular pruning will not only help boost your plants growth but also helps it produce more flowers by stimulating new stem growth from the center of the plant.
Just remember to prune off only old, yellowed leaves whenever you notice them and cut back any flowering stalks during the spring and summer so your peace lily can focus on fresh new growth.
