Peace Lily Varieties That Bring Calm and Balance to Your Home

Loved for their lush, glossy and exotic foliage, as well as for their showy calla lily like blooms, many peace lily varieties are very popular houseplants. Important in Feng Shui for their ability to brung harmony, these tropical perennials are also excellent air purifiers, an added value for a decorative plant to grow indoors. But you can also grow them outdoors!

Varieties change in size, leaf coloring and shape, and sometimes, even in the color of the spathe and spadix that make up its blossom. Green and white are dominant, but there are exceptions, and some very unusual ones as well! But how can we tell them apart? Which one is best for your home or garden?

There are 47 natural species of peace lily, or Spathiphyllum, but most cultivars and hybrids come from one, Spathiphyllum wallisii, and these have become very popular houseplants, with about 15 being the most important in gardening terms.

Sometimes, the differences can be delicate, and if you want to know what each variety has to offer you, you have come to the right place!

15 Amazing Varieties Of Peace Lily.

Now get ready for the most beautiful and famous peace lily varieties in the world; here they are!

• Wallisii peace lily
• Snowflower peace lily
• ‘Domino’ peace lily
• ‘Mauna Loa’ supreme peace lily
• ‘Clevelandii’ peace lily
• ‘Bongo Bongo’ peace lily
• ‘Picasso’ peace lily
• ‘Sensation’ peace lily
• ‘Power Petite’ peace lily
• ‘Sweet Sebastiano’ peace lily
• ‘Patricia’ peace lily
• ‘White Stripe’ peace lily
• ‘Sonia’ peace lily
• ‘Jetty’ peace lily
• ‘Allison’ peace lily

Before we look at all the differences between them, shall we learn a bit more about this amazing, peace bringing exotic houseplant, the elegant Spathiphyllum?

Peace Lily: A Close Look

Peace lily is any of the 47 species of Spathiphillum, a genus of tropical flowering perennials with large green leaves and an inflorescence with many small and tightly packed flowers, called a spadix. This has a tubular shape and it grows upright, surrounded by a modified leaf, in the shape of a vescicapescis, called a spathe. This is usually white, but it can also be yellowish or greenish.

The spathe is what gives peace lilies its scientific name, and also the most showy part of the plant, as well as one of its main gardening assets.However its common name derives from its symbolic association with calm, peace and purity and healing.

And in fact, peace lily is an important Feng Shui plant: it calms, it harmonizes and it brings good energy and vibes, cleansing the room you grow it in from discord and strife. It is also useful to clear a space from negative energy it has collected in the past.

Whether you wish to grow it for its energy, or just for its beauty, the glossy foliage is no less attractive and decorative than the spathes. They have a tropical look, and they seem hard, almost made of plastic from a distance.

These form lovely and lush clumps, never too big though (about 2 feet tall and in spread, or 60 cm), and this too has helped it become one of the world’s favorite flowering houseplants.

Then again, you can easily grow it in a garden, if you live in a warm and mild country, where you can enjoy its evergreen foliage all year round!

Low maintenance and easy to grow, it has little watering needs and even low light requirements; this makes it suitable for shady places, where few varieties can grow.

Peace Lilies Are Great to Purify the Air

Peace lilies don’t just give you good energy and beauty, the also cleanse the air very well. A NASA study shows that they are outstanding in purifying the air from benzene, which comes from gasoline, tobacco, rubber paint and detergents, as well as trichloroethylene, which is given off by glue, lacquer, paint and varnish.

For this reason, Spathiphyllum is a great houseplant to grow in urban spaces and in closed environments.

We will soon see how to care for it, but first, some important details.

Peace Lily Fact Sheet

Here you can find all the information on peace lily at a glance; it can come in useful in the future.

• Botanical name:Spathiphyllum spp.
• Common name(s):peace lily, spath.
• Plant type:evergreen herbaceous flowering perennial.
• Size: usually less than 2 feet tall and in spread (60 cm), but outdoors, some varieties can reach 6 feet tall and in spread (1.8 meters).
• Potting soil: well drained loam or peat moss (or substitute) based mix with added sand or perlite; adaptable.
• Outdoor soil: well drained and lightly humid loam or sandy loam. It won’t tolerate heavy clay or chalk.
• Soil pH:5.8 to 6.5, fairly acidic.
• Light requirements indoors:medium, moderate or low indirect light.
• Light requirements outdoors: partial shade, dappled shade or full shade.
• Watering requirements:medium to low.
• Fertilizing: every 6 weeks from late winter to fall, with balanced NPK (10-10-10) or with low phosphorus (3-1-2 or 9-3-6).
• Bloom time:usually spring.
• Hardiness:USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Place of origin: tropical areas of South America and Southeast Asia.

And now some practical tips…

Peace Lily Care

Peace lilies are low maintenance and very forgiving, but this does not mean that they don’t need any care at all. Just follow these instructions and it will be very happy in your home or garden.

Peace Lily Light Requirements

Peace lily does not want too much light; in its natural habitat, it grows under the thick canopies of tropical forest trees; you should try to reproduce these conditions.

If you grow your Spathiphyllum indoors, it will prefer medium, moderate of low indirect light. Bright indirect light, on the contrary, will burn its leaves, especially at the tips. You need to keep it at least 6 to 8 feet away from a window (1.8 to 2.4 meters). The ideal room and window for a peace lily is east facing; it likes the morning Sun, but not in the afternoon… Still, it will manage in other positions as well.

If you want to have peace lilies in your garden or balcony, outdoors they like partial shade, dappled shade or even full shade. In full Sun conditions, they will suffer: the leaves will turn pale and it risks dying. Under trees is perfect!

Peace Lily Water Needs

Peace lilies also have low watering needs; they will tolerate slightdrought, for a short time, but they prefer the soil lightly humid. Overwatering can cause serious problems, so, never keep it wet and make sure it has food drainage.

Water your Spathiphyllum when the top 1 inch of soil is dry (2.5 cm) both indoors and outdoors. Indoors and in containers, just give it enough water so that its spills from the bottom of the pot.

Depending on climate conditions, peace lilies may need no or very little watering during winter or the rainy season outdoors. Even indoors, it will need less water in winter, so, be flexible with your watering routine.

Peace Lily Soil Requirements

Peace lilies like well drained soil but with good water retention. Apart from this, they are fairly adaptable.

If you grow it in your garden, in the ground, loam or sandy loam are best; improve it if necessary with coarse sand. No heavy clay of chalk for your peace lily; one is too tough and water retentive, the other is too alkaline.

If your garden has clay as its main component, improve it with lots of organic matter (compost is fine) and also lots of coarse sand.

For potted peace lilies, you can use a series of mixes…Peat moss (or substitute) or loam or compost based soil are good, but you need to mix them with coarse sand or perlite in about equal parts.

Peace Lily Fertilization

If you are growing your peace lily in a container, fertilize it every 6 weeks with an organic fertilizer with NPK 10-10-10, or 3-1-2 or 9-3-6 when it is not in bloom. But feed it from late winter to mid fall. It is an early starter, but it you should not encourage it to grow during the cold season.

If you live in a warm country and you have it in the ground, use organic compost; again, start in late winter, help it again in spring, then summer and finally in mid fall. Do not overdo fertilization especially if not organic, but mineral: buildup of minerals in the soil can cause root rot!

Peace Lily Temperatures

Peace lilies are not cold hardy… They will only thrive outdoors in USDA zone 10 or 11 and upwards. This comprises most of the Southern States in the USA. In warmer regions, make sure it is in a shady spot, to avoid excess heat.

The best temperature range for Spathiphyllum is between 65 and 85^oF (18 to 29^oC). When it drops below 55^oF (12^oC) it will suffer and at about 45^oF (7^oC), it will die.

But also make sure that your peace lily is not near drafty doors and windows indoors, and that it does not suffer sudden changes in temperature. Both these can damage it significantly.

Peace Lily Propagation

The best way to propagate peace lilies is by clump division, and you can do this any time of the year, but it is best when it is not in bloom.

An alternative is leaf and stem cuttings, which you can take in summer or fall. You can dip them in water, or even straight in good and rich, well drained potting mix.

Seed propagation is hard and you need an experienced gardener and many years (up to 7!) before it actually blooms.

And now that you know all you need about all peace lilies, let’s see the most beautiful varieties!

Peace Lily Varieties

There are many cultivars of peace lily that have become loved and popular as houseplants, and we have collected them for you. And remember, if you are lucky enough to live in a warm region, your garden is a good place as well for Spathiphyllum!

Let’s start then!

1: Wallisii Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii)

Wallisii is the mother species of many of the cultivars and hybrids of peace lily we will see later on, and it has the most iconic and classical look of all Spathiphyllum varieties. It has elegant and glossy pointed foliage, each leaf showing regular fishbone veins on the deep green color, which becomes darker in shady spots. These form lovely and dense clumps, with an arching habit, which makes it perfect for containers. The bloom has a balanced spathe, white, and the spadix ranges from white to cream and yellowish green.

Easy to find and easy to grow, this is also one of the toughest varieties you can have, as usually happens with natural species, which also makes it ideal for outdoor spaces like gardens and terraces.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color:white spathe and white to cream or yellowish green spadix.
• Leaf color:deep green.
• Size:12 to 24 inches tall and in spread (30 to 60 cm), outdoors up to 3 feet (90 cm).
• Origin:South America.

2: Snowflower Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum floribundum)

Here us a giant of the Spathiphyllum genus, snowflower peace lily! This South American species has very large, thin but hard looking, emerald green leaves with a great gloss on them and regular grooves that highlight their broad and regular, ovate leaves, each reaching 8 inches long (20 cm). And this is also the size you can expect in the bloom… But the spathe is greenish to yellowish cream, and they are quite broad as well! A less known natural species, it offers you a twist in the color of the flowers, and it has a very exotic look. And it may bloom in spring, summer or even fall!

Snowflower peace lily is harder to get than most varieties; you will need a specialized nursery or retailer. Having said this, it is one of the best varieties for an exotic looking tropical garden.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color:pale green to yellowish green.
• Leaf color:emerald green.
• Size:2 to 5 feet tall (60 cm to 1.5 meters) and 2 to 3 feet in spread (60 to 90 cm).
• Origin:Panama, Venezuela and Peru.

3: ‘Domino’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Domino’)

‘Domino’ is one of the most popular cultivars of Spathiphyllum wallisii. This is an intermediate size peace lily with a lovely twist: variegated foliage! In fact, you will see delicate long dashes of white scattered on glossy, deep and dark green leaves in the direction of the veins. This makes it very elegant indeed, with dense upright tufts of contrasting but fine patterns! The blooms are white, with spathes the shade of snow, and spadices that tend to a delicate cream tonality. They are about 6 inches long (15 cm).

Mainly grown indoors, ‘Domino’ peace lily is also easy to find in garden centers; despite its delicate looking foliage, it’s an easy to grow and tough houseplant.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color: snow white spathe and cream spadix.
• Leaf color: dark green and white.
• Size:20 to 30 inches tall (50 to 75 cm) and 20 to 26 inches in spread (50 to 65 cm).
• Origin:cultivar.

4: ‘Mauna Loa’ Supreme Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Mauna Loa’)

One of the largest and most popular cultivars of Spathiphyllum wallisii, ‘Mauna Loa’ stands out for its broad and big leaves, which form lush, exotic looking clumps with their shiny, almost leathery grooved, or undulate foliage reaching 4 feet tall and across (120 cm). Named after a Hawaiian volcano, this variety has pure white spathes, about 4 inches long (10 cm) and cream spadices. But this is not all… The blooms are also very fragrant indeed, so, it won’t just clean the air, it will also perfume it!

Ideal for a lush, exotic effect in any indoor space, ‘Mauna Loa’ supreme peace lily is a favorite houseplant all over the world, but you can grow it in a garden – assuming you are lucky enough to live in a hot country.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color: pure white spathe and cream spadix.
• Leaf color: bright green.
• Size:up to 4 feet tall and in spread (120 cm).
• Origin: cultivar.

5: ‘Clevelandii’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum x ‘Clevelandii’)

‘Clevelandii’ is the peace lily variety you want if you like elegant simplicity! A hybrid of Spathiphyllum wallisii, it has long and pointed, lanceolate foliage with gentle grooves and a fairly narrow shape. Thin, not leathery or fleshy, and mid green, the leaves can turn deep in shade according to the light, and they form quite dense clumps, with their slender presence. The blooms come on slim stems that reach far above the rest of the plant, and they are snow white or greenish with cream to pinkish spadices! A lovely touch indeed!

A favorite both indoors and outdoors, ‘Clevelandii’ peace lily has a very light and elegant look, but it is one of the toughest cultivars you can grow!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color: pure white or greenish spathe and cream pinkish spadix.
• Leaf color:mid green to deep green.
• Size:2 to 3 feet tall and in spread (60 to 90 cm).
• Origin: hybrid.

6: ‘Bongo Bongo’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Bongo Bongo’)

‘Bongo Bongo’ is yet another giant Spathiphyllum wallisiivariety, and a very bold peace lily indeed! It has large and long leaves, that can reach up to 1 foot in length (30 cm); they are also quite thick, leathery and very glossy indeed! Dark green on the upper side, they have a lighter shade on the under page, and very deep, regular fishbone grooves that create lovely light effects! The spathes are white, but sometimes they take on a pale and bright green blush. The spadix is instead white to cream, and it ripens to black.

Forming round, open but very lush and exotic looking clumps and lovely blooms, ‘Bongo Bongo’ is one of the best varieties of peace lily for a tropical and sumptuous effect.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color:white spathe, with bright green blushes, cream spadix.
• Leaf color:deep green, paler undersides.
• Size:2 to 4 feet tall and in spread (60 to 120 cm).
• Origin:cultivar.

7: ‘Picasso’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Picasso’)

‘Picasso’ is one of the rarest and most sought after varieties of peace lily, and for a good reason… It has an incredibly bold variegation, because the leaves are mid to deep green with broad, showy fully white patches! Sometimes, whole leaves turn the color of snow! And sometimes you can get a third color as well, bright green…This makes it look like a work of art, hence the name. While the foliage is as glossy as in most Spathiphyllum types, the blooms add to their effect, because they too are pure white, both spathe and spadix.

Super elegant and showy at the same time, ‘Picasso’ peace lily is one of the most decorative varieties ever, and it would literally suit an art museum, or a room with a great sense of décor!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color:pure white, all.
• Leaf color:snow white, deep green and bright green.
• Size:15 to 24 inches tall and in spread (45 to 60 cm).
• Origin:cultivar.

8: ‘Sensation’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Sensation’)

‘Sensation’ is the largest variety of Spathiphyllum wallisii, a peace lily for a bold statement and a big effect! Reaching 6 foot tall (1.8 meters) it is quite a big presence in any room or garden. The leaves are deep green, very glossy, with the typical fishbone undulation,and they can grow to up to 2 feet in length (60 cm) and about 1 foot wide (30 cm). Growing upward and then arching gently, they give you a fully tropical but elegant look. The blooms are fairly large too, about 6 inches long and pure white!

You will want ‘Sensation’ peace lily for a large room or office, and if you really have a lot of space to fill and turn into a tropical haven!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color: fully white.
• Leaf color: deep green.
• Size: up to 6 feet tall (1.8 meters) and 5 feet in spread (1.5 meters).
• Origin:cultivar.

9: ‘Power Petite’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Power Petite’)

From huge to small, ‘Power Petite’ is a compact peace lily that you can grow even on a bookshelf. It only grows to a diminutive 8 inches tall maximum, but it is no less beautiful than other varieties! It is the exact copy of the mother species, Spathiphyllum wallisii, with emerald to deep green, long and pointed leaves and lovely, still showy blooms with a white spathe and white to cream spadix. It is also quite dense, so, it packs quite a punch in such a small size!

One of the most manageable varieties of peace lily, ‘Power Petite’ is perfect for coffee tables and small desks; it will still bring you harmony and clear the air, even if you can’t offer a lot of space for it to grow.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color: white, the spadix can be cream.
• Leaf color:emerald to deep green.
• Size:5 to 8 inches tall and in spread (12.5 to 20 cm).
• Origin:cultivar.

10: ‘Sweet Sebastiano’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllumwallisii ‘Sweet Sebastiano’)

The main difference between ‘Sweet Sebastiano’ and other varieties of peace lily is that it has a clear upright habit. The petioles grow upwards, forming a tuft of arching, long, deep green glossy and undulate leaves that come at the top. This makes it very elegant, with a vertical accent. It also has big blooms, 8 to 10 inches long (20 to 25 cm) and up to 5 inches across (13 cm). Both the spathe and the spadix are white, and they stand out very clearly from the foliage.

If you want height rather than spread, this tall variety of peace lily, ‘Sweet Sebastiano’ may just be what you are looking for!

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color: fully white.
• Leaf color:deep green.
• Size:3 to 4 feet tall (90 to 120 cm) and 2 feet in spread (60 cm).
• Origin:cultivar.

11: ‘Patricia’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Patricia’)

‘Patricia’ is yet another compact peace lily variety for small spaces. It has a special elegance thanks to the fact that its foliage is elongated compared with other types of Spathiphyllum, and the petioles are very erect, with leaves that point up and out as well. Mid to deep green in color, it contrasts beautifully with the white spathes of the blooms, which are long and narrow as well, in keeping with the personality of this cultivar.

‘Patricia’ is the peace lily variety you want for a slender and airy, uplifting presence in an equally elegant sitting room or office.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color: fully white.
• Leaf color: mid to deep green.
• Size: 16 inches tall (45 cm) and 12 inches in spread (30 cm).
• Origin: cultivar.

12: ‘White Stripe’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘White Stripe’)

‘White Stripe’ has one of the most intriguing and elegant variegations of all peace lily varieties. In fact, the emerald to deep green glossy leaves display a thin white line that runs from the petiole to the tip, following the rib in the middle. The foliage is well proportioned, about twice as long ad wide. And the white blooms that appear above the elegant clumps look like sails in the sky and they recall the color of thus original striping. One of the most artistic of all Spathiphyllum varieties!

Surely ‘White Stripe’ is not just a novelty variety of peace lily, but one that can really add an elegant and sophisticated touch to any indoor space.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color: fully white.
• Leaf color:emerald to deep green with a white stripe.
• Size:1 to 2 feet tall and in spread (30 to 60 cm).
• Origin: cultivar.

13: ‘Sonia’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Sonia’)

‘Sonia’ has a sweet name, but it’s another giant variety of peace lily! Growing taller than most people, up to 6 feet (1.8 meters), it is not a Spathiphyllum for the faint hearted… The huge leaves (up to 1 foot long) can take on an olive to forest green shade which is rare for this genus, but they retain a glossy sheen and a deep undulation. They are well balanced, about 2.5 times longer than large, and very dense. The large spathes (about 4 inches, or 10 cm long) are white, while the spadices can take on a cream coloring. A real protagonist!

‘Sonia’ is surely a good choice for a big, bold statement in a large room, in fact it will look great in public buildings and great halls.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color: white spathe, the spadix can be cream.
• Leaf color: mid, forest green, with an olive shade sometimes,
• Size: 4 to 6 feet tall (1.2 to 1.8 meters) and 3 to 4 feet in spread (90 to 120 cm).
• Origin:cultivar.

14: ‘Jetty’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Jetty’)

‘Jetty’ is a peace lily with a 3D vocation… Why. The undulation in the glossy foliage is particularly deep and visible, and you can even see the relief in clear lines on the under page of the mid green leaves.  Long and broad and with an upright habit, these have a great sculptural value, as they show both sides all the time. The blooms of this Spathiphyllum cultivar are famous for being long lasting, calla lily like and showy. White spathes with white to cream spadices, they follow the most common palette of this genus.

Certainly one of the most interesting cultivars of peace lily, ‘Jetty’ is ideal if you want to highlight a sculpture or architectural feature in your living spaces, thanks to its sculpted leaves.

15: ‘Allison’ Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Alison’)

‘Allison’ has a broad, almost spreading habit, unlike many other varieties of peace lily. The leaves are broad, long and pointed with curving grooves that give them a clear and dynamic undulation. Mid to deep green, these point outwards and produce a large and lush clump of exotic looking foliage. The blooms will follow this inclination as well, coming up and out from below to display their hooded spathes in pure white and large, cream spadices.

If you like the sumptuous tropical loom of peace lilies, ‘Allison’ is one of the best to reproduce it both indoors and outdoors.

• Hardiness: USDA zones 10 to 11.
• Bloom color: white spathes, cream spadices.
• Leaf color: mid green.
• Size: up to 24 inches tall (60 cm) and 30 inches in spread (75 cm).
• Origin: cultivar.

Peace Lilies: Same Peaceful Design, But Many Personalities

Peace lilies are not all the same. Large, medium and short varieties have their own unique personalities. If variegated cultivars are the most visibly unique, to the trained eye, all varieties have their individual character, and now you too are an expert!