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- Spathiphyllum
Air purifying plant
Since the corona crisis many people are working at home instead of at the office. How great is it when you work in clean air? Plants can contribute to this with their air-purifying effect. The Spathiphyllum is particularly good at purifying air. It converts CO2 into oxygen and helps maintain humidity. We would love to tell you more about this plant and how best to take care of it.
Origin
The Spathiphyllum is also called the spath or peace lily. This plant belongs to the Araceae family (arum) and grows in the tropical rainforests of Colombia and Venezuela. The Spathiphyllum was introduced to Europe in 1870 The name Spathiphyllum comes from the Greek: 'spath' refers to a spoon, 'phyl' to leaves. This refers to the white flowers that resemble a spoon.
Symbolism
The peace lily is known as a peacemaker: the white flower represents a white flag, which is recognised internationally as a truce sign.
Colours and shapes
Peace lilies have soft, dark leaves with elegant white bracts in between. These bracts are often mistaken for flowers but actually the flowers are very small and sit on the spadix. The flowers differ in size and number per species. The bigger the plant, the bigger the flowers. There are also Spathiphyllums with lightly scented flowers.
Varieties
The Spathiphyllum is available in many different shapes and sizes. There are more than 50 different species known. What they all have in common is that they flower profusely, are full of foliage and have a long shelf life.
Each variety has its unique characteristics such as the size of the flower, or the size or shape of the leaf.
Position and care
Watering
The plant originally comes from marshland and so it needs a lot of water: watering thoroughly once a week is sufficient. It is fine to cover the plant's roots with a layer of water, as this keep the root ball moist. Adding some plant food to the water once a month is recommended to keep a Spathiphyllum healthy. A regular spraying is also good for this plant. It is good to water the plant regularly, especially in winter when the heating is on more often. The peace lily will show you what it needs. If the stems start to droop, then the root ball is too dry. As soon as you give it some water, it will be bright and fresh again an hour later.
Position
The Spathiphyllum likes to be in a moderately light or shady position. Do not put it in direct sunlight. The ideal temperature is between 15 and 23°C.
Flowering time
The Spathiphyllum has a flowering time of approximately four to ten weeks. The plant then needs a few weeks rest before new flower buds appear. Once the flowers have finished flowering, it is good to cut away the old (green) flower stem. The peace lily develops new shoots all the time, from which new flowers appear after about 12 weeks.
Repotting Spathiphyllum
Advise your customers to remove the Spathiphyllum from the growing pot and place it in a larger pot. This provides new nutrients, a larger water buffer, airy soil and space for root growth. Recommend a plant pot with a diameter that is 20% larger than the current pot.
We recommend repotting the plant every 2 to 3 years. The best time to do this is in spring when any damaged roots can better recover. Always use a plant pot that is 20% larger than the previous pot and use fresh potting soil.