PEACE LILY

Peace lilies are sturdy plants with glossy, dark green oval leaves that narrow to a point. The leaves rise directly from the soil. These plants also periodically produce lightly fragrant white flowers that resemble calla lilies. The long-lasting flowers start out pale green and slowly turn creamy white as they open.

A big clump of velvety, dark pointed leaves with delicate white bracts in between distinguishes the peace lily. These are frequently mistaken for flowers, however the blossoms are tiny and only appear on the spike. The peace lily is a simple plant to grow. The stems droop pitifully, begging for water, if the soil is too dry. Give it a drink, and an hour later it'll be fresh and lively again.

The peace lily (or Spathiphyllum) is a member of the Araceae (Arum) family that thrives in the Colombian and Venezuelan tropical rainforests. In 1870, the plant was brought to Europe. There are around 50 different varieties, almost all of which have white bracts with a faint green tinge. The name Spathiphyllum comes from Greek:'spath' means spoon, and 'phyl' means leaves, alluding to the spoon-shaped leaf.