How Much Sunlight Does Peace Lily Need?

You can gift peace lily plant to your loved ones and they won’t feel burden to grow this plant.

That is because, peace lilies is one of the easy to care houseplants that can thrive with low lightening and infrequent watering.

Even with low sunlight peace lily plant can purify and beautify your indoor space.

But, this doesn’t mean that peace lily can survive without sunlight.

Peace lily plant needs at-least 8 hours of indirect sunlight to thrive. However, it does well even when you provide partial shade. Long exposure to direct sunlight can burn peace lily leaves and make it turn yellow.

For how many hours does peace lily plant needs sunlight may vary depending on climatic conditions in your region.

To grow successful peace lily plant, you must know its light requirements.

Peace Lily Light Requirements

Indoor plants like peace lily don’t require sunlight every day. But, when they don’t get enough light exposure its leaves start dropping.

As a gardener, you must be aware of the growing conditions of a plant in their natural habitat.

You just need to replicate similar lightening environment to be able to have thriving indoor plant.

With its green foliage and white flowers, this heart stealing plant is native to tropical rainforest region. It likes warm humid environment with indirect sunlight. (1)

Whether you’re growing peace lily outdoors or indoors, you must provide similar growing environment for your plant.

It’s not tough to replicate environment that gives warm and indirect sunlight to your plant.

Even a space that doesn’t get enough sunlight through windows can be used to grow peace lily plant.

As in this article we will be discussing about peace lily sunlight requirements, I recommend you to read on this article on watering peace lily plant.

How Much Sunlight Does Peace Lily Need?

Sunlight and water are among the two essential requirements of a plant. You can’t expect plant growth without sunlight; similarly peace lily can’t survive for longer time without water.

But, unlike other houseplants peace lilies don’t need full sunlight. As mentioned above, this indoor plant can grow and thrive with indirect sunlight and partial shade.

Peace lily plant leaves are responsible to absorb the indirect sunlight and the pigment chlorophyll uses energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water to food. (2)

How many hours of sunlight does peace lily need?

Ideal sunlight exposure is different for different plants, in case of peace lily plant as a plant owner you must provide at-least 8-10 hours of indirect sunlight.

With the right amount of sunlight and other resources, peace lily plant leaves stay green and it bloom beautiful blossoms.

Can peace lily survive without sunlight?

Though peace lilies can thrive in low lightening conditions, but it can’t survive without sunlight.

If your place isn’t getting any sun exposure, then you can choose to use grow lights indoors for about 14-16 hours.

Signs that Peace Lily Getting too much light

As a natural process, old leaves turn yellow and fall off from the plant.

But, when the plant is exposed to prolonged sunlight new foliage will turn yellow and brown.

Dark green foliage of peace lily plant will be burnt if exposed to harsh direct sunlight.

Expect USDA zones 11 and 12, you can’t put peace lily plant outside. If you’re growing plants in corridor, then protect your plant from harsh sunlight using a shade cloth.

What Happens When Peace Lily Plant Don’t Get Enough Light

When you don’t provide enough sunlight to peace lilies, their leaves start showing you signs like stunted growth, drooping and yellowing of leaves.

Despite providing regular watering and fertilizing your peace lily plant will lose its gloss and leaves start to droop first.

Due to lack of chlorophyll, a pigment responsible for green foliage, leaves start to turn yellow and then white.

To revive peace lily plant, you must ensure to provide at-least 8 hours of indirect sun exposure.

Without enough sunlight, your peace lily may bloom or produce flowers.

How Does Direct Sunlight Affects Peace Lily Plant?

As already mentioned several times in this article, peace lily plant can do well in low light.

But, when you expose it to harsh direct sunlight throughout the day, its leaves will be burnt.

Peace lilies are native to tropical climates where they grow under the shade of big trees. With moist soil and organic matter, peace lily plant bloom and stay healthy throughout the year in its native habitat.

You should replicate same in your growing space.

Don’t shift your peace lily plant outside; it can’t survive direct sunlight for longer time.

Even indoors, you should avoid growing spots that gets direct sunlight.

Temperature and Humidity

If you’re planning to put peace lily plant on office desk, then ensure that temperature is above 60F.

Ideal temperature for peace lily plant ranges between 60F to 85F. (Source)

Cold drafts should be avoided. Don’t put peace lily directly under air conditioner blower.

These are tropical plants as mentioned, it can tolerate hotter temperature up-to 85F but when it goes cold it can’t survive.

In winter, you must move peace lily plant indoors to avoid cold winds.

Also, you should avoid dry winds.

To maintain optimal humid air, you can either use humidifier or mist peace lily leaves with water.

Best Light Conditions for Peace Lily Plant?

Diffused light is best to grow peace lily plant.

Peace lilies can tolerate low light, but it does well indirect bright light.

If you notice that your peace lily plant isn’t growing or not blooming, then shift peace lily plant to a new spot that gets indirect sunlight for 10 hours.

As morning sunlight isn’t intense, you can expose peace lily plant to early morning sunlight. With good sunlight exposure, peace lily plant leaves turn dark green and beautiful flowers start appearing.

Best location for natural light is room facing towards north or east. But, don’t put the plant right beside window. Move plant pot to some distance, so that direct light don’t hot the plant.

Also, plant can be saved from cold or hot winds.

Do peace lily plants need more water with more light?

While watering peace lilies you must consider temperature, climatic conditions and sunlight exposure.

It doesn’t need lots of water. Like most houseplants, peace lily likes to go dry between watering.

Whenever, you find the topic 1 inch of the soil is dry, water generously.

Yes, if your plant isn’t exposed to bright sunlight, then the moisture won’t dry up and you don’t have to water.

When peace lily plant is exposed to bright light, due to transpiration moisture will be evaporated and your plant needs to be watered.

Avoid overwatering peace lily, as it may cause root rot in peace lilies. Allow the growing soil to dry between watering.

Can peace lilies tolerate low light?

Yes, peace lily plant can grow in low light. But, you should regularly monitor the plant to ensure it is getting enough sunlight.

Why is my peace lily plant not flowering?

Low lightening is one of the reasons why your peace lily plant isn’t blooming.

Though leaves may stay green, plant won’t be able to produce flowers due to low food production.

As a gardener, you know the importance of sunlight for food production.

How do you take care of peace lilies in low light?

With right care and favorable climatic conditions, peace lily plant can live up to 5 years.

Do peace lily plant need sunlight to grow?

Yes, it does.

Can peace lily grow in low light?

Yes, it can grow.

But, when the plant isn’t getting enough lightening, it won’t bloom.

If you’re planning to grow peace lily in low-light, then ensure that you monitor the plant for few weeks. If it shows signs of insufficient lightening, like yellowing and drooping of leaves, then move to new spot that gets brighter light.

Else, you can also use a grow light so that the plant get enough light.

There are many artificial lights available in the market. This plant needs 16 hours of grow light to thrive.

Remember this: Location is very important while growing peace lily indoors.

Once you find the best spot with adequate light, then you must water the plant only the growing soil is dry by 2 inches.

Depending on the climatic change, watering needs of your plant may change. In colder climates, you can water once in a month, because it goes dormant in winter.

Along with sunlight and water, you must choose best potting soil for peace lily plant. It prefers well drained and fertile soil.

Next important thing is fertilizing your peace lily plant. With low lightening, peace lily plant may require little fertilizer.

You can use organic fertilizers or liquid fertilizer with balanced NPK ratio. There are few gardeners who recommend using eggshells and coffee grounds.

But reports say they won’t contribute much to peace lily growth.

In a nutshell

Usually, peace lilies are grown as houseplants. But, in shady location like USDA zones 11 and 12, you can grow peace lily outdoors.

Peace lily plant needs indirect bright sunlight.

It can survive low light and in many cases it can actually thrive even in low lightening. But, to bloom you must provide enough light for peace lilies.

When growing indoors, window that is facing north east will have bright sunlight with less intensity. This light is good for your peace lilies. But avoid direct sunlight.

You can grow peace lilies outdoors, but should use a shady cloth to protect from harsh sunlight.

As a plant owner, you must differentiate between direct and indirect light.

You can monitor the intensity by keeping your hand between sunlight and peace lily plant.

Remember this: Peace lily plant need sunlight, it can’t survive without light.