If your Peace Lily is drooping, yellowing, or turning brown, you may still be able to bring it back with a few smart changes. Use this simple checklist to figure out what went wrong and give your plant the best chance to recover.
Few things are more discouraging than watching a once lush Peace Lily collapse into a sad, drooping clump of leaves. The good news is that Peace Lilies are tough and forgiving, and most problems can be reversed if you catch them in time.
This guide walks you through how to tell what is wrong, which fixes actually help, and the exact steps to save a Peace Lily that looks like it is dying.
Is your Peace Lily really dying?
Peace Lilies (Spathiphyllum) are drama queens. They droop heavily when thirsty, perk up after a good drink, and can look worse than they really are. Before you panic, take a slow, honest look at the plant and its pot.
Your Peace Lily may still be saveable if you see any of these signs: some leaves are still green, new leaves are emerging from the center, roots are firm and white or light tan, or the base of the plant is solid rather than mushy. If everything is brown, mushy, or smells rotten, recovery will be harder but not always impossible.
Step 1: Diagnose what is wrong
Saving a Peace Lily starts with diagnosis. Fixing the wrong problem, such as watering more when the plant is already waterlogged, can finish it off. Work through this quick checklist before you change anything.
Check the soil moisture
Gently press a finger 1 to 2 inches into the soil. If it feels wet or soggy, you are likely dealing with overwatering or poor drainage. If it feels bone dry and pulls away from the sides of the pot, the plant is probably underwatered.
Also lift the pot if you can. A pot that feels very heavy usually indicates soaked soil. A pot that feels strangely light suggests the root ball is too dry.
Look at the leaves
- Drooping, limp leaves with dry soil: usually underwatering.
- Drooping, soft leaves with wet soil: often overwatering or root rot.
- Yellow leaves, especially older ones: can be from overwatering, poor drainage, or natural aging.
- Brown, crispy tips: often low humidity, inconsistent watering, or tap water with fluoride or salts.
- Bleached or scorched patches: likely too much direct sunlight.
Consider light and temperature
Peace Lilies prefer bright, indirect light. A north or east window, or a few feet back from a bright window, usually works well. Harsh afternoon sun can burn leaves, while very low light can cause weak, floppy growth and few flowers.
They also like steady temperatures between about 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold drafts, hot radiators, or sudden changes can cause drooping, yellowing, or leaf drop.
Check for pests or disease
Look closely at the leaves, stems, and soil surface. Sticky residue, fine webbing, cottony white clumps, or tiny moving dots may mean spider mites, mealybugs, or aphids. Dark, mushy areas at the base or a sour, swampy smell often signal root or crown rot from chronic overwatering.
If you find obvious pests or advanced mushy rot, you will need to combine watering fixes with pruning and possibly repotting, which we will cover below.
Step 2: Fix watering problems
Water issues are the top reason Peace Lilies look like they are dying. Once you know whether the plant is too wet or too dry, you can correct course without shocking it further.
How to rescue an overwatered Peace Lily
Overwatered Peace Lilies often have yellowing leaves, soft droopiness, and constantly wet soil. The goal is to dry the root zone to a healthy level and restore oxygen around the roots.
- Take the plant out of any decorative cachepot. If the plastic nursery pot sits inside a pot with no drainage, water may be pooling at the bottom. Empty any standing water.
- Let the soil dry partway. Place the plant in a bright spot out of direct sun and skip watering until the top inch or two feels dry. This may take several days.
- Check the drainage holes. Make sure the pot has drainage and that holes are not clogged. If water does not run freely through, repotting is often the best fix.
- Inspect the roots. If the plant is in very soggy soil or smells sour, gently slide it from the pot and examine the roots. Healthy roots are white to light tan and firm. Black, brown, mushy, or foul-smelling roots should be trimmed away with clean scissors.
- Repot in fresh mix if needed. If more than about a third of the roots are rotted, remove the worst parts and repot into fresh, lightly moist, free-draining potting soil. Do not pack the soil tightly.
After repotting, water lightly to settle the soil, then let the top inch dry before watering again. The plant may look worse for a week or two but can recover as new roots grow.
How to help an underwatered Peace Lily
An underwatered Peace Lily typically has dry, crispy leaves and soil that looks shrunken or cracked. These plants often bounce back quickly once they get a thorough drink.
- Water slowly and deeply. Place the pot in a sink or tub and water until it begins to run from the drainage holes. Wait a minute, then water lightly again to rehydrate dry pockets.
- Soak if water runs off. If water races down the sides of the pot without soaking in, set the pot in a bowl or sink of water for 15 to 30 minutes so the root ball can wick up moisture. Drain well afterward.
- Set a simple schedule. Going forward, check the soil about once a week. Water when the top inch feels dry, rather than on a fixed calendar that ignores how quickly your home dries soil.
A severely dried plant may not fully recover every leaf, but new growth from the center can still emerge strong over the next several weeks.
Step 3: Give it the right light and temperature
Even if watering is correct, stressful light and temperature can keep a Peace Lily on the edge. To help a struggling plant, aim for bright, indirect light such as near an east window or a few feet back from a south or west window filtered by sheer curtains.
Keep the plant away from cold drafts, air conditioners, heating vents, and exterior doors that open often. If you feel a noticeable draft where the pot sits, move it to a steadier location so the plant can focus its energy on new growth instead of survival.
Step 4: Refresh the soil and roots with careful repotting
If the soil is compacted, roots are circling tightly, or you see more roots than soil when you slide the plant out, your Peace Lily may be root bound or stuck in exhausted mix. Repotting can give it a fresh start.
Choose a pot only 1 to 2 inches wider than the current one, always with drainage holes. Use a high quality indoor potting mix formulated for houseplants, not heavy garden soil.
- Water lightly the day before. Slightly moist soil is easier to work with and gentler on roots.
- Gently remove the plant. Support the base, tip the pot, and slide the plant out. Loosen circling roots with your fingers.
- Trim damaged roots. Use clean scissors to remove any black, mushy, or completely dried roots.
- Add fresh mix. Place a layer of soil in the new pot, set the plant slightly off center if needed, and fill around the root ball. Keep the crown (where leaves meet roots) at the same height as before.
- Settle and water. Tap the pot to remove large air pockets, then water thoroughly until excess drains out. Empty any saucer after a few minutes.
Repotting can temporarily stress a very weak plant, so do it only when you suspect root issues, compacted soil, or a severely undersized pot. Otherwise, improve watering and light first.
Step 5: Adjust humidity, fertilizer, and water quality
Once the big emergencies are handled, fine tuning humidity, nutrition, and water quality can help your Peace Lily regain its lush look and prevent future decline.
Humidity your Peace Lily will love
Peace Lilies enjoy moderate humidity, roughly 40 to 60 percent. In dry homes, especially in winter, brown leaf tips are common.
To raise humidity without soaking the soil, you can place the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and a little water (the pot sits on the pebbles, not in the water), group plants together, or move the plant to a naturally more humid room such as a bright bathroom. Avoid constantly misting directly on flowers, which can spot and rot.
Feeding without burning the roots
A starving Peace Lily may have pale leaves and sluggish growth, but overfertilizing a weak plant can do more harm than good. Use a balanced, water soluble houseplant fertilizer at half the label strength once a month during spring and summer only after the plant has started to show signs of recovery.
To avoid salt buildup that can burn roots and tips, flush the pot every few months by watering deeply until several cups of water have drained through, then discard the runoff.
Better water for sensitive Peace Lilies
Some Peace Lilies react badly to hard tap water or water treated with fluoride or chloramine, which can show up as brown tips. If this is a recurring problem, try using filtered water, rainwater, or tap water that has sat out overnight so chlorine can dissipate.
Always use room temperature water. Very cold water can shock roots and contribute to drooping or slowed growth.
Step 6: Remove dead leaves so the plant can focus
Dead and badly damaged leaves will not turn green again. Leaving them attached wastes the plant’s energy and makes it harder to see new growth.
Use clean, sharp scissors or pruners to cut yellow, brown, or mushy leaves at the base of the stem, as close to the soil line as you can without cutting into healthy tissue. Remove spent flowers by cutting the flower stalk at the base too, which encourages the plant to put energy into fresh leaves and future blooms.
How long will recovery take?
A mildly stressed Peace Lily that was just underwatered may perk up within hours of a good drink. Yellowed leaves will not turn green again, but you may see new leaves emerging from the center within 2 to 6 weeks if conditions are right.
Plants that suffered root rot or major damage can take several months to fill out again. Focus on consistent care rather than quick fixes: proper watering, indirect light, reasonable humidity, and light feeding when the plant is actively growing.
When it might be time to start over
If the crown of the plant is completely mushy, there is a strong rotten smell even after trimming roots, or no green leaves remain at all, your Peace Lily may be too far gone to save as a full plant. However, it is still worth checking for any firm, white or tan root sections or small offsets that look healthy.
If you find a firm little clump with at least one tiny leaf bud, pot it up in fresh, barely moist soil in a small container, then care for it as a baby plant. Sometimes a supposedly dead Peace Lily can grow back from a small surviving section if you provide gentle light and careful watering.
See also
For stronger, more resilient houseplants, take a look at our guide to the best garden fertilizers for flowers and houseplants and the best garden tools for potting and small spaces.
- Keep your potting area tidy with one of the top garden tool organizers for sheds, garages, and small spaces.
- Protect your hands while repotting and pruning with comfortable garden gloves for everyday potting.
- Make long potting and plant rescue sessions easier on your knees with a supportive garden kneeler designed for comfort and easy standing.
FAQ
Why is my Peace Lily drooping even after I water it?
If your Peace Lily stays droopy hours after watering, the roots may be waterlogged or damaged rather than thirsty. Check the soil; if it feels soggy, let it dry out partway and make sure the pot has drainage. If drooping continues, inspect the roots for rot and consider repotting into fresh, well draining soil.
Can a Peace Lily recover after all the leaves have died?
Sometimes, yes. Gently remove the plant from the pot and inspect the crown and roots. If you find any firm, white or tan roots and at least one tiny green nub at the base, pot that section up in fresh mix, water lightly, and keep it in bright, indirect light. If everything is brown, mushy, and hollow, the plant is unlikely to recover.
How often should I water my Peace Lily?
There is no single schedule that works for every home, but many Peace Lilies need water about once a week in average indoor conditions. Instead of following the calendar, check the top inch of soil with your finger and water when it feels dry. In brighter, warmer rooms you may water more often, and in cooler or lower light spots less often.
Do Peace Lilies need sunlight, or can they live in low light?
Peace Lilies tolerate low light better than many flowering plants, but they grow fuller and bloom more in bright, indirect light. Very dim corners can keep them alive but often lead to thin, floppy growth and few flowers. Avoid direct midday sun on the leaves, which can scorch them.
Why are the tips of my Peace Lily leaves turning brown?
Brown tips are usually caused by low humidity, irregular watering, or mineral content in tap water. Check that you are letting the soil dry slightly between waterings without letting it turn bone dry, raise humidity a bit if your home is very dry, and consider using filtered or dechlorinated water. You can trim off the brown tips with clean scissors for a neater look.
Is it okay to cut Peace Lily flowers off?
Yes. Cutting off fading or unwanted Peace Lily flowers is safe and can actually help the plant. Use clean scissors to remove the entire flower stalk at the base, which lets the plant redirect energy to new leaves and future blooms.
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