Description
Spathiphyllum – Peace Lily –
There are about 36, rhizomatous, evergreen perennials, in this genus. They are found naturally occurring in damp tropical forest in Indonesia, the Philippines, and tropical North, Central, and South America. They are grown for their stately, long stemmed, white or cream or green colored spathes, set against dark green, lance shaped, inversely lance shaped, or oblong-ovate leaves with prominent midribs. The leaves stand erect or arch slightly. Grow as a houseplant. All parts of the plant may cause mild stomach upset if ingested, and contact with the sap may irritate skin. Great ability to clean the air in home or offices.
Indoors, grow in well drained, soilless potting mix or soil based potting mix. Water freely in growth, applying a balanced liquid fertilizer every 4-6 weeks and maintain high humidity. Provide bright indirect light throughout the year. Pot on when root growth has overfilled the containers.
Prone to root rot, leaf spots, and bacterial soft rot.
S. wallisii – White Sails – This rhizomatous perennial from Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Venezuela, grows 26″ tall and 20″ wide. It produces wavy edged, dark green leaves, to 14″ long. In spring and summer it bears ovate to oblong-elliptic, fragrant white spathes, to 8″ long, aging to green, and surround a green and white spadices, to 4″ long, held above the foliage.
Zones 14-15
