Peace lilies are known for their green leaves and slender, graceful flowers that don a porcelain color. It’s why many people love peace lilies, especially because they are known for how they can harmonize conflicts with its color (hence the name).
However, you might have noticed that the flowers are turning brown, much to your dismay. But why are your peace lily flowers turning brown and what can you do to stop it from doing so? Read on to find out.
Why Are Your Peace Lily Flowers Turning Brown?
The peace lily is a perennial flower that would grow indoors in USDA zones 11-12. They are fairly easy to grow and maintain, which is why it can be disheartening when you notice it turn brown or black. Why is that the case?
Here are common reasons why:
1. It Comes With Age
Peace lily blossoms would change color as they grow older. It’s a natural phase!
The flowers would emerge from the plant’s base and unfurl into a white hood with a small central spike. Newly bloomed flowers would be pale green, turning creamy white once they open up.
After 10 days or so, they turn green again. Seed setting and pollination also causes it to become green. After a month or so, they start to turn brown and die, withering and fading.
If it’s been over a month since your peace lily bloomed, it’s normal to see it brown and fade away. This will give the plant opportunity to grow even more beautiful flowers.
2. Too Stressed
Stressed houseplants become unhappy and unhealthy, and there are numerous reasons why it happens. It can come from repotting your plant too many times, not watering it enough (or too much), poor-quality soil, poor light exposure, nutrient deficiencies, among others.
If you think your plant is stressed, look into its leaves, which may have changed shaped, deformed, or even wilted. The color may also change, turning yellow or brown, right before your flowers do. Furthermore, if the spadix matches the leaves’ colors, then it is stressed.
Evaluate if you are giving the wrong amount of water, light, soil, or nutrients, and change it appropriately.
3. Improper Care
There are houseplants that are hardy, going days or weeks without needing regular car and maintenance. The peace lily, however, isn’t hardy. They have various growing requirements you need to follow.
Here are some of the things that may have affected your blooms:
- Direct sunlight – while the peace lily requires a lot of light, it shouldn’t be exposed to any direct sunlight. Make sure it gets some sun but not too much, positioning it towards an east-facing window.
- Temperature – If you set the temperature to less than 60 degrees, then the more likely it would wilt. Remember, they are typically grown in tropical areas such as southeast Asia.
- Humidity – they require a lot of humidity as well, appreciating warm and wet environments. Placing it with a humidifier or pebble tray working well, or at least, don’t place it by a heat vent or air conditioner.
- Wrong water – You can grow peace lilies in soil or water, but NEVER use tap water, as the fluoride and other chemicals may trigger its leaf and flowers browning. Use filtered water and maintain water room temperature as much as possible.
4. Irrigation Issues
This is another main reason why your peace lily flowers start to brown. Irrigation, too much or too little as mentioned, can keep your plant from growing well. This is why experts recommend plant owners wait until the soil is dry before you water it.
When giving the plant too little water, leaves and flowers would brown. If you water it too much, then it ends up with soggy soil, resulting in brown leaves and flowers.
Also, salt in water would cause brown tips on leaves and flowers. If your water has higher salt content, use distilled water for irrigation.
5. The Fertilizer or Salt Used
You should NOT fertilize your peace lily too often. The spadix of peace lilies may blossom during the warmer months, with fertilizer helping it grow on time. You will only need to fertilize for 6 weeks after winter is over.
If you use too much fertilizer, it results in brown leaves or flowers. Besides fertilizing it on the right time, you may want to dilute the solution.
Read more: Are Coffee Grounds Good for Peace Lilies?
What Happens If Your Blossoms Do Turn Brown?
Unfortunately, they do not recover. They would require careful removal if this happens, as its stems would stay tough and wiry.
Do NOT pick or twist the flowers by hand, as this can damage your plant. Rather, prune them using pruning shears, starting at the stems from the base where they emerge from leaves, along with any yellow or brown leaves you see. Be sure to clean your shears before and after using it.
Wrapping It Up
There are different reasons why your peace lily flowers are turning brown, and one of the major reasons is its age. Not to worry, because with proper care and pruning, your flowers will grow back and the cycle repeats, so your home will look amazing with these plants during the warmer months.
Continue growing your peace lily well and enjoy its blooms for years to come!
