Peace lilies are popular houseplants, admired for their elegant white blooms and lush green foliage. These tropical plants are relatively easy to care for, making them a favored choice for indoor spaces. Companion planting, which involves growing different plant species together, enhances the beauty and health of your peace lily display, creating a more vibrant indoor garden.
Benefits of Peace Lily Companion Planting
Grouping peace lilies with other plants offers several advantages beyond aesthetics. Plants placed together create a localized microenvironment with higher humidity levels, benefiting all plants as they release moisture through transpiration. A denser plant community also optimizes space, particularly in smaller indoor gardens, leading to fuller, more natural-looking displays. Companion planting can also improve overall plant health and growth.
Choosing the Right Companion Plants
Selecting appropriate companion plants for your peace lily depends on matching their care requirements. Peace lilies thrive in bright, indirect light, often doing well near north or east-facing windows, as direct sun can scorch their leaves. Therefore, any companion plant should also prefer similar indirect, low-to-medium light conditions.
Peace lilies prefer consistently moist but not soggy soil, and they are sensitive to overwatering, which can lead to root rot. Compatible plants should share this need for evenly moist, well-draining soil that is allowed to dry slightly between waterings. Peace lilies also enjoy high humidity, ideally between 40% and 60%, reflecting their tropical origins. Choosing plants that also appreciate or benefit from higher humidity can help create a thriving environment for the entire group.
Consider the size and growth habit of potential companions to ensure they complement, rather than overshadow, your peace lily. Trailing plants, upright varieties, or bushy plants can all work well depending on the desired aesthetic. Finally, visual appeal, including leaf shape, color, and texture, contributes to a harmonious arrangement.
Recommended Peace Lily Companion Plants
Several indoor plants share the peace lily’s preference for indirect light, consistent moisture, and higher humidity, making them excellent companions. These plants can create a lush, tropical feel when grouped:
- Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), often called Devil’s Ivy, is a versatile choice known for its trailing vines and adaptability. Pothos thrives in bright, indirect light but can tolerate lower light levels. It prefers its soil to dry out slightly between waterings, typically when the top 1-2 inches are dry. While tolerant of average household humidity, pothos also appreciates higher humidity.
- Various Philodendron species, especially the heartleaf philodendron, are another suitable option. These plants prefer bright, indirect light and can adapt to lower light conditions. Philodendrons require watering when the top inch or two of soil feels dry. High humidity is also favored by philodendrons.
- Prayer Plants (Maranta leuconeura) are recognized for their striking foliage and unique habit of folding their leaves upwards at night. They flourish in bright, indirect light and need consistently moist soil, though not waterlogged. Prayer plants have a strong preference for high humidity, often requiring levels around 50-60%.
- Boston Ferns (Nephrolepis exaltata) are classic choices for their arching fronds and air-purifying qualities. These ferns prefer moderate to bright indirect light and require consistently moist soil, as they do not tolerate drying out completely. Boston ferns thrive in high humidity, often needing levels above 60%.
- Chinese Evergreens (Aglaonema) are known for their patterned foliage and adaptability. They can tolerate low to bright indirect light, with more colorful varieties needing brighter light to maintain their vibrancy. Chinese Evergreens prefer their soil to dry out slightly between waterings. While they can tolerate average humidity, they benefit from higher humidity.
Caring for Your Combined Plantings
Ongoing care ensures the health of your combined plant display. When watering, check the soil moisture for each plant individually, ensuring all receive adequate water without any plant sitting in soggy conditions. Allow the top inch or two of soil to dry out for peace lilies before rewatering.
Monitor the light exposure for the combined setup, as the needs of multiple plants might require minor adjustments to the display’s location. Maintaining consistent humidity is beneficial; methods like using pebble trays or grouping plants closely together can help achieve this. Fertilize combined plants during their growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced houseplant fertilizer, following product instructions to avoid over-fertilization.
Regularly inspect all plants for any signs of pests or diseases. Early detection is helpful, as pests can spread quickly between closely grouped plants. Address any issues promptly to maintain the health and vigor of your entire plant collection.
Plants to Avoid Near Peace Lilies
Not all plants are suitable companions for peace lilies, primarily due to differing environmental needs. Plants that require high levels of direct sunlight, such as many cacti and succulents, are incompatible. Their intense light needs contrast sharply with the peace lily’s preference for indirect light. Similarly, plants preferring very dry soil conditions or specialized watering schedules should be avoided, as this would lead to overwatering and root rot for peace lilies. Additionally, plants that become very tall and dense, like sunflowers, can create too much shade and compete for resources, hindering the peace lily’s growth.