Will a droopy peace lily recover?

Peace Lilies, a stately plant with deep green leaves and large white blooms, are easy to care for, but their drooping leaves can be saddening.
Peace lily plants often experience droopy leaves, which can be resolved by early care and addressing various reasons for the plant’s drooping.

1. Over watering and under watering
2. Too much direct light
3. Temperature
4. Humidity
5. Pest issues

This document provides guidance on identifying potential problems, addressing them, and resolving them.

Watering Issues

Peace lilies are tropical plants that thrive in high humidity and moisture. However, over watering can cause drooping or yellowing leaves, which can indicate under watering or over watering. Watering should only occur when the top 50% of the potting mix has dried out, and discard any excess water. Over watering can cause roots to struggle to access nutrients and oxygen, leading to root rot. Peace lilies are resilient and can tolerate dry soil for several days. However, alternating between dry and wet soil can cause stress, yellow leaves, and crispy edges. Over watering can cause roots to shrivel and die back. Once the plant is thoroughly watered, it cannot properly absorb moisture. A good drink can help the plant recover quickly.

Lighting Issues

Peace lilies thrive in jungle canopies and require bright, indirect light. They thrive near east-facing windows or unobstructed windows in the south or west. If windows have natural shade, place the plant closer. Excessive direct sunlight can cause the plant to dry out, turn pale, and wilt. To help them rebound, move them farther away from windows to a spot with only indirect light.

Temperature Issues

Peace lilies thrive in tropical environments, so ensure your home’s temperature is at least 60°F, with an optimal temperature around 70°F. They can tolerate temperature fluctuations of about 10°F between night and day, but greater changes could cause drooping. Move the plant away from frequently opened or closed doors and windows, and avoid heaters or air conditioning units. If the issue persists, consider other potential issues.

Humidity Level Issues

The peace lily requires high humidity, similar to nature. If leaves turn brown or yellow, hard, or crispy, they may require more humidity. Regular misting, a humidifier, or a pebble tray can increase the ambient humidity and aid in plant recovery.

Pest Issues

Weak or stressed plants are more susceptible to insect infestations, such as spider mites, which can drain moisture and cause yellowing leaves. These pests, which are common in indoor conditions, can spread if not killed early. The insects’ piercing mouths can exhaust plants, especially if they are already unhealthy due to poor lighting, nutrient deficiency, or improper soil moisture.

How Do You Revive A Droopy Peace Lily?

There is a lot to love about the peace lily – one of the best Feng Sui plants – and the best air-cleaning indoor plants you can bring into your home. It’s also easy to care for – meaning you can bring them back to life in four simple steps.

1. Check Root Health 

You may have already learned why your peace lily is drooping, but the check doesn’t end there. As plant expert Kate Lindsey at Baby Bio explains, the key to checking your plant’s health is to assess the root health.

To save a lily from root rot, gently remove it from its container, remove any compost mix, and lay it on a clean surface. If the roots are soft and brown, trim them back to firm, white roots using sterilized scissors. Re pot the dead roots with fresh compost, ensuring they are firm and plump.

2. Remove Dead Leaves 

Peace lilies are excellent winter houseplants, but they can yellow over cooler months. If discolored or crispy, prune them to maintain a healthy-looking plant.
Kate advises using clean, sharp scissors to remove dead leaves that appear brown or yellow or show early signs of disease, especially for plant species susceptible to diseases like leaf spot, black leg, or sooty mold.

3. Add Nutrients  

Like all living room, kitchen, or bedroom plants, your peace lilies compost will lose nutrients over time.

‘If your plant is beginning to look limp, try using fertilizer to ensure its soil is enriched with all of the nutrients it needs to grow stronger roots, brighter blooms, and more leaves,’ Kate says.

‘As a general rule of thumb, most plants need a mix of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium for optimum growth, so invest in plant food that can provide the perfect balance. We recommend using an all-purpose feed every time you water. Simply add a few drops to water and pour at the base of your houseplant.’

How Do You Bring A Droopy Peace Lily Back To Life?

To revive a droopy peace lily, it’s crucial to ensure your home is conducive to its healthy growth. Dani Turner, an expert from Bunches, suggests that the Peace Lily plant thrives in humid environments with ample natural light and high humidity levels. In a more humid space, the Peace Lily plant provides the best sunlight and warmth.
Dani suggests that yellowing Peace Lily leaves may be due to aging, which can be detected by observing if they dry up and fall off, or by pruning the yellowing leaves.

Peace Lily Drooping After Re potting

The reason for a peace lily drooping after reporting is because the new pot is larger and contains more soil causing dries out more slowly then the peace lily is used to. If the soil remains damp for too long, this causing the peace lilies leaves to droop and turn yellow due to root rot.

Read more: Can you repot peace lily while flowering? OR How often to water peace lily in summer?