Peace lilies get green flowers before and after growing white flowers as a natural part of their growing cycle. The flowers on a peace lily are modified leaves called spathes, so green is a good sign. However, a peace lily might maintain its green flowers because it isn’t getting the necessary care to grow correctly.
To maximize the amount of white flowers, make sure to:
- Avoid over-fertilizing
- Avoid too much direct sunlight
- Prune the old, green flowers
Keep reading to learn the different reasons why your peace lily’s flowers are green and what you can do to keep their white flowers around longer.
When do Peace Lilies’ flowers turn green?
You can expect to see green flowers on your peace lilies in the spring and fall, as these seasons mark the beginning and end of the blooming process. The blooms will start green as they begin the unfolding process and turn pure white as the flowers mature.
When the flower starts to age, the blooms will turn green again before fading to a brown or yellow. You can remove the faded flower by following the stem to the base and cutting it from the plant to force the plant’s energy into new and healthy blooms. Pruning your peace lily will prolong the blooming time.
Preventing Green Flowers
While you can’t avoid green flowers altogether, there are some things you can try if you find that your peace lily isn’t progressing into pure white flowers or the lifespan of your white flowers is short before they turn green and fade.
Over-Fertilizing
Peace lilies don’t need much attention in general and don’t need as much fertilizer as some other plants. While occasional fertilizing can benefit your peace lily, overdoing it will cause its flowers to bloom green. There’s no way to reverse green blooms from over-fertilization, but cutting back on the fertilizer will ensure that any new buds will turn white.
A general rule is to fertilize a couple of times a year when the plant is actively growing.
Direct Sunlight
Peace lilies don’t need much sunlight, and getting direct sunlight can harm the plant’s health. The plant will perform more photosynthesis with stronger light, resulting in more green pigment in the flowers.
You will want to move your peace lily to an area that gets enough indirect sunlight or, if you can’t move your plant, you can try covering your plant during the afternoon when the sun is at its strongest.
Caring For The Flowers
If you want to maintain that white flower aesthetic on your peace lily, removing the flowers as they begin to turn green is the best course of action. You will want to clip the stem at the base of the plant, ensuring that all of the plant’s energy is going towards maintaining the still healthy and white flowers.
Having flowers on your plant is a sign that the overall plant is healthy because it produces new plants. However, you can’t improve the flowers if the plant is allocating resources to maintaining the rest of the plant’s health.
Caring For The Plant
Your peace lily could have green blooms because it isn’t getting the proper care to facilitate growth. First, you will need to ensure your plant is getting the right amount of water and avoid overwatering or underwatering it. Instead of a set watering schedule, you might want to try only watering your plant when the soil a couple of inches from the surface feels dry.
You will also want to avoid temperature changes. While peace lilies can survive a wide range of temperatures, it’s best to keep them away from constant changes. If your plants are outside, you might want to consider covering them or bringing them inside on cooler nights.
For indoor plants, make sure that their planter isn’t near an air vent. Peace lilies won’t do well if cold air is hitting them in the summer months, nor will they want hot air in the winter. Placing them near windows can also cause issues as the hot and cold air from outside can come through the glass.
Final Thoughts
You shouldn’t find it odd for your peace lily to occasionally have green flowers. As new flowers form and old ones start to fade, you can expect them to have a green tint to them. However, if you find that your peace lily maintains its green flowers for an extended period and the growth of the blooms seems halted, you might want to consider some of the tips outlined above. These include only fertilizing your peace lily a couple of times a year during the growing season and keeping it out of direct sunlight.