Peace Lilies turn yellow when they get too much direct sunlight or not enough sunlight. If your Peace Lily is turning yellow, then you might want to consider moving it to a new location so it will get medium, indirect sunlight that will allow it to thrive.
Other reasons your peace lily might turn yellow is:
- Aging Leaves
- Overwatering
- Underwatering
- Water Quality
- Temperature Changes
- Nutrient Deficiencies
- Repotting Shock
- Pests
- Disease
Keep reading to learn how to revive your Peace Lily after it turns yellow and some quick tips on how to care for it.
Reasons Your Peace Lily Is Turning Yellow
While the wrong amount of sunlight is the most likely culprit for your peace lily turning yellow, here are some other reasons and solutions to try to keep your plant healthy.
Aging Leaves
Old leaves naturally will turn yellow and fall off over time. You can easily remove these leaves with your hands or pruning shears to help your plant grow better. Old leaves aren’t an issue to worry about, so some quick pruning will be enough.
Overwatering
Peace Liles need just the right amount of water, and overwatering can cause root rot if it persists for too long. If the roots start to rot, the leaves will turn yellow as a result. You will want to repot your peace lily with new soil with better drainage and switch to only watering your plant when needed and not on a set schedule.
Underwatering
If your peace lily isn’t getting enough water, it will start to wilt, and the leaves wouldn’t be getting enough nutrients to keep their green color. The leaves will only begin to turn yellow if you haven’t been watering your plant enough for some time, as brief periods with less water is something a peace lily can bounce back from.
Keeping a better eye on when your plant needs water and watering more often when there is hotter weather is the best solution to this issue.
Water Quality
Peace lilies are a bit sensitive to chlorine, so if your tap water is heavily mineralized, then this could be causing the leaves to turn yellow. However, if tap water is the only option for you, you can try letting the water age overnight by leaving it out in a watering can. Allowing the water age will let the chlorine gas out, which prevents it from burning your plant’s roots.
However, it would be best to avoid using mineralized water altogether.
Temperature Changes
If you keep your peace lily inside then, you likely have nothing to worry about with temperature since they can grow quite well from 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 29 degrees Celsius). However, if you have your peace lilies outside, then you should be mindful of cold drafts and temperatures that dip below 45 degrees Fahrenheit (8 degrees Celsius).
Nutrient Deficiencies
Peace lilies’ leaves will start to turn yellow if they aren’t getting enough nitrogen. Organic soil is an excellent way to keep your plant healthy, or you can get fertilizer to keep them growing well. Overall, they don’t need much fertilizer to keep them thriving.
Repotting Shock
Usually, there isn’t much of a risk in repotting a peace lily. Transplanting your plant can be very good for its overall health, but the transplant can still be a shock to the plant, which causes yellowing in its leaves. Try to repot in the springtime since this is their natural growing season and give your plants time to adjust to the new pot.
Pests
Peace lilies are very good at taking care of pests, but they aren’t immune. The major bugs to look out for are aphids and mealybugs, but chances are if you’re noticing your plant’s leaves turning yellow due to bugs, you’ll also be able to see which critters are attacking your plant.
Simply watering your plants can be enough to get rid of any pest, or you can try a soup spray for more persistent pests, making sure you spray under the leaves.
Disease
If you try the solutions listed above and still see yellow leaves on your peace lily, then there’s a chance of a disease infecting the soil. These diseases are usually from fungus growing in damp soil, and they will cause the roots to rot. If you notice this, it’s time for a thorough repotting!
Final Words
In most cases, you can prevent yellowing on your peace lily’s leaves by moving your plant to a location that gets less sunlight which will stop the leaves from getting scorched. You can even try covering your plant if it is in an outdoor garden during the afternoons when the sun is at its most intense to protect your peace lilies.
However, there are other reasons, such as the wrong amount of water, shifts in temperature, and pests that can cause issues with your plant but are ultimately easy to remedy.
