Spathiphyllum wallisii
Peace Lily
Peace Lily
Information obtained from Godofredo U. Stuart Jr. M.D. (StuartXchange
The Peace Lily is a perennial herbaceous plant that
usually attains heights of between twelve and twenty-four inches when grown indoors, but can grow up to three feet if planted in an ideal outside setting. It features large, lanceolate leaves which are shiny and arise directly from the ground in bunches.
The leaves are dark green, ovate to elliptic, with raised veins and a glossy texture. They are supported by long petioles. The Peace Lily produces a peculiar inflorescence consisting of a white or pale yellow spadix enveloped by a white spathe that is leaf-like. It blooms initially in white then it can change to green as it grows older. Under favorable conditions some flowers may come up during spring and go on flowering all year round. The plant has fibrous roots which spread just below the soil surface.
Kingdom: Plantae
Sub kingdom: Tracheobionta
Superdivision: Spermatophyta
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Subclass: Arecidae
Order: Alismatales
Family: Aracecea
Genus: Spathiphyllum
Species: Spathiphyllum wallisii
- Air Freshening: Peace Lilies are famous for their ability to enhance indoor air conditioning by drawing in harmful substances like formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethene, xylene and ammonia.
- Beauty: Their beautiful look is well recognized and hence they are often planted as ornamental plants in houses and offices.
- Adaptation to Low Light Conditions: They can do well in places with low light intensity making them best suited for indoors.
Native Range: Peace lilies were basically discovered in a tropical area in the Americas which is mainly parts of Central and South America that include Colombia, Venezuela and Panama.
Cultivation: They are very commonly grown as houseplants indoors worldwide. In their natural habitats, they can be found outside in shady damp places such as tropical forest floors.
Preferred Conditions: They prefer being kept under high humidity, consistently moistened ground and receiving light indirectly. In the rain forests where these plants come from, they grow beneath the crowns of large trees that provide filtered sunlight.
Industrial Uses:
Horticulture: Peace lilies are primarily cultivated for the ornamental plant trade. They find use in landscape design in shade gardens and as interior plants.
Air quality improvement: They improve air quality and hence find application in green building designs and indoors.
Pharmaceutical Uses:
Traditional Medicine: For generations, parts of the peace lily have been used in folk medicine from different cultures for their supposedly natural health restorative powers, although this information is rather scanty and has never been documented or proved scientifically.
Toxicity: The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals that turn irritating and discomforting if ingested, or in contact with the skin and mucous membranes. It is therefore mildly toxic to pets and humans.
Pharmacological Uses:
Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Activity: Preliminary studies indicate that the compounds found in Peace Lilies may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity; however, these are not well explored in a clinical setting.
Research Potential: Further studies on the phytochemical makeup of Peace Lilies are done for possible medical applications, although more studies are necessary to confirm these properties and their safety for medicine.
Alkaloids: Peace Lilies contain compounds such as spathiphyllum.
Flavonoids: These compounds are responsible for the plant's antioxidant properties.
Phenolic Compounds: Various phenolic acids are present in Peace Lilies, helping with their defense mechanisms.
Calcium Oxalate Crystals: Needle-like crystals called calcium oxalate crystals are found in the plant's tissues, which can cause irritation if eaten