Peace lilies are easily propagated using the division method. If your peace lily has started putting out new shoots that have grown roots, then it is ready to be propagated using the division method. The steps to do this are:
- Remove the original peace lily from its pot.
- Clear the roots of the soil and detangle the roots so you can see the plant’s rhizome clearly.
- Check that the offshoots are growing roots. Having roots will greatly increase the chance of it surviving.
- Divide the plant’s rhizome
Short Answer
- Propagation of a peace lily by division involves separating the mother plant.
- You can divide and propagate a peace lily by cutting its rhizome.
- Place the new peace lily plants in an ideal spot to encourage their growth and provide aftercare to ensure you have a healthy new peace lily.
Propagating plants using the division method is generally the fastest and easiest way to multiply your plants. By being able to easily divide and multiply your own peace liliy plant collection, you will be able to decorate your house with them or gift them to friends and family.
In the below guide I will explain to you the basics of how to propagate these plants, and how to properly care for them after propagation.
About the peace lily
Peace lilies are a popular house plant that have large green leaves and blooms with white flowers. They are able to grow both indoors and outdoors, in pots and the ground.
Cultivation basics of a peace lily
Ideal environment
Peace lilies prefer a bright environment, with plenty of indirect light. Direct light can and does scorch the leaves of peace lilies. They also prefer a high-humidity environment, so if you notice browning leaves, you could place a humidifier near the plant or use a pebble tray to add more humidity to its surroundings.
Watering requirements
Peace lilies like damp soil, but not soggy soil. The easiest way to see if your peace lily needs to be watered is to check the dampness of the top one inch of soil.
If you overwater your peace lily, it’s leave will droop and turn yellow, while underwatering it will cause the leaves to wilt away. Base your watering schedule of the moistness of the soil.
Soil preferences
Peace lilies like a well-draining potting mixture. Any premixed and fertilized indoor potting mix will tick this box.
How to propagate a peace lily plant using the division method
Total Time: 5 minutes
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Prepare the Plant
Place the peace lily that you plan to divide somewhere you have some space to work, and that is okay to get dirty.
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Remove the Peace Lily from The Pot
Remove the parent peace lily plant from the pot. In my situation, it was severely root-bound which was actually hindering its growth.
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Clear and Detangle the Roots
Tease the roots out to help clear them of any potting mixture. Since mine had such a bad case of root-bound, I had to rip apart the roots of my plant.
Remove as much of the potting mixture as you can. Being able to clearly see the rhizome will make dividing this plant a lot easier.
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Divide the Plant’s Rhizome
Using a sharp knife or secateurs, divide the plant up into single shoots. Make sure that the new divisions have some roots on the stem to help support it grow.
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Plant new peace lily plants
Plant the newly divided peace lilies in a pot with some well-draining potting mix. A general indoor plant potting mix is what I used for my peace lily cuttings.
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Care for new peace lilies
Give your new plants a good watering, and position them where they will receive lots of indirect, filtered sunlight.
Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. A good test is to check the top one inch of soil. If it is dry then the plant needs to be watered, but if it is still moist, then you do not need to water it.
It could take at least 4 weeks for your new cuttings to show some new signs of growth.
Tools:
- Sharp and clean secateurs or knife
Materials: A mature peace lily Potting mixture Multiple grow pots
Aftercare, Maintenance & Frequent Mistakes
Below are some of the issues that can cause your propagated peace lily to fail.
Overwatering
Propper watering for a newly propagated peace lily is very important. Peace lilies like damp soil, but not soggy water. To know when to water a peace lily, feel the top one inch of soil, if it is dry to the touch, it is time to water the peace lily again.
Insufficient Light
Peace lilies like bright indirect light. If they are placed somewhere where it doesn’t receive enough sunlight, they will have a slower growth rate. Avoid direct sunlight as that will scorch the leaves.
Not Splitting the Plant Correctly
When splitting the rhizome of the peace lily, make sure there are sufficient roots on the divided plant. If there aren’t any roots or only a few, it may hinder the plant’s growth rate. If there aren’t sufficient roots to divide a peace lily, it is best to report it and wait for more roots to grow.
Skipping Aftercare
Make sure you monitor the sunlight and moisture of your newly propagated peace lily, and monitor the plant for any signs of bug infestation, or diseases. If you properly implement the aftercare steps required for your propagated peace lily, then it will have a good chance or thriving into another beautiful house plant.
FAQs
Can I Propagate a Peace Lily from A Cutting?
Propagating a peace lily from a cutting is not the best way to multiply this plant, and it will have a high failure rate.
The best way to divide and multiply your peace lily plant is with the division method.
What Is the Best Method for Peace Lily Propagation?
The best method to propagate a peace lily is with the division method. This is where new shoots are divided by cutting the plant’s rhizome. It is important that the new shoots have their own roots before dividing the rhizome.
Can Peace Lily Be Grown from Seeds?
Peace lilies can be grown from seeds, but this is a more difficult and time-consuming way to grow these plants as peace lilies don’t often produce seeds.
How Do I Care for Peace Lily Roots?
Planting the peace lily in a well-draining potting mixture, and not overwatering it, will prevent the plant from getting root rot and is the best way to care for its roots.
Over time, if planted in a pot, the peace lily may become root-bound, you can move the plant to a large pot, so you will need to trim down the root system so it is not overcrowded in the pot or you can follow my guide on fixing root-bound peace lilies.
What Is the Recommended Growing Medium for Peace Lilies?
A general indoor plant potting mixture works well for peace lilies. If you wanted to make your own you would need to mix up a potting mixture made up of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite.
Can Peace Lilies Thrive in Water as Well as Soil?
Peace lilies can grow happily in just water, with no potting mixture. But from my experience, they do thrive more and grow faster and larger in potting mixture.