Question
i have a peace lily that was given to our family 9 weeks ago for my sister's funeral. it was beautiful when it first arrived.  it had flowers and was full.  it sits in a black plastic pot in a basket.  since it has been in my house it has not been as happy.  i live in Florida and i initially placed it near a window.  first it started turning brown on the ends of the leaves.  i would watch for signs of drying out or wilting (as i usually only water my plants on Sundays) and add water as it looked like it needed. but i thought maybe it was getting too much sun by the window so i moved it to more of indirect lighted area and now it still turns brown at the ends of the leaves but the big problem is that it is severely wilted.  there is no thickness to the stems.  there is new curled growths, but they are saggy.  and it has not flowered since it's been here.  i searched for advice online and read about root rot so now i am afraid to overwater it.  or could it be severely underwatered and it actually needed more than i had given it?  the soil is just slightly damp.  what do you think could be the problem with my poor plant?  i would be crushed if it did not survive.  thank you so much for any advice you may have.  

Answer
Hi Kristen,

My condolences to you and your family.

Peace lilies wilt pathetically when the soil is allowed to get too dry. However, they perk back up within several hours after a through watering.

Peace lilies that do not perk up after they are watered or when the soil is already quite moist are peace lilies with dead or dying rots that are no longer able to absorb water for the plant.

At this point, you have nothing to lose by watering the soil thoroughly. Make sure the water is absorbed by the soil and not just passing around the outside of the rootball. After watering, the soil should feel soggy as far down as you can poke your finger.

If this does not cause the plant to perk up, then I am afraid it is a lost cause as the roots are damaged beyond recovery.

If it does perk up, get back to me and I will tell you more about how to care for it in the future.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.
   
Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

You can E-mail me directly at: [email protected]

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