Traditionally, houseplant enthusiasts have grown peace lilies in soil. However, growing peace lilies in water is gaining traction. You might have noticed if you visit plant forums or follow Youtube channels. It is becoming a trendy way to grow this elegant plant.
If you do decide to let your plant grow permanently without soil, an important question is how long can a peace lily live in water? The good news is there is no practical limit to how long peace lilies can live in water.
Of course, this is only true if you take proper care of your plant. Read on to learn how!
How Long Can A Peace Lily Live In Water?
If you google it, you will find plenty of sites claiming peace lilies only live for 3 to 5 years. Some even claim they will live less if you grow them in water. This is false, and these claims are never backed up by any credible source.
The truth is, if you take care of your peace lily, it can live for years and years. There is no practical limit. You will find plenty of people with peace lilies over ten years old. Do you want proof? Check out this discussion.
To allow your peace lily to live this long, you must take good care of it. The following sections will dive into how to grow your plant in water.
How To Get Started Growing Peace Lilies In Water
First of all, you can’t grow the entire plant under water. So when people refer to growing peace lilies in water, they mean to keep the roots submerged in water and the rest of the plant above the surface.
If you want to get started, you can buy a peace lily already growing in water, and you are set!
Maybe you already have a peace lily growing in soil? Simply follow these steps to replant it in water:
- Pick an appropriate jar. By appropriate, the size should fit, and it is best – although not mandatory – if the mouth is narrower than the bottom. This will allow the peace lily a place to rest.
- Fill your jar with water. It is best to use distilled or filtered water, as tap water is often too chlorinated. This will depend on the quality of tap water in your area.
- Take your peace lily out of its pot. Try to be gentle, so you don’t hurt the plant, but don’t be too scared since peace lilies are pretty hardy.
- Remove the soil from the roots. Do this as carefully as possible. Gently tease the roots to get as much soil off as possible. You can pour distilled or filtered water over the roots to get off stubborn soil.
- Remove unhealthy roots. Check your plant for damaged, injured, or unhealthy roots. If you find any, cut them off.
- Place your peace lily in the new jar. Keep the roots wholly submerged in water, but ensure the rest of the plant is above water. You can put clean, decorative stones – or similar – in the bottom of the jar to help keep the plant in place.
That’s it! Not too tricky, right?
Next, let’s look at how to take care of your peace lily living in water, to maximize its lifespan.
How To Take Care Of Your Peace Lily Living In Water
If you want your peace lily to be an almost lifelong companion, you must keep it healthy! Here are some general tips to keep in mind.
- Avoid direct sunlight. Keep your peace lily where it will get plenty of indirect, filtered sunlight, but keep it out of harsh, direct sunlight. Direct sunlight tends to scorch the leaves, and it will encourage unwanted algae growth in the water.
- Avoid tap water. Tap water tends to carry chlorine and other nasty stuff. This is not healthy for your peace lily. Instead, use filtered or distilled water!
- Add fertilizer. To keep your plant nourished, feed it a few drops of liquid fertilizer every other week. There are also specialized fertilizers for hydroponics if you want to get fancy. However, be careful not to over-fertilize!
- Change the water. After a while, the water might start to get murky. Often this happens after about a month. If it does, you should change the water.
There is a lot to know about growing plants in water, but following these steps and using common sense is a great start!
If you take care of your peace lily, it can live in water for years and years. There is no practical limit.
Some tips to keep your plant healthy: avoid direct sunlight, avoid tap water, add fertilizer, and change the water if it turns murky.