The graceful peace lily with its lush green foliage and pristine white blooms is one of the most popular houseplants. But did you know that in some climates, these tropical beauties can also spend time outdoors?
Many gardeners have success overwintering peace lilies outside with the right conditions. However, harsh winters can spell trouble for these tender tropicals.
So can a peace lily live outside in winter? Let’s dig into the details on overwintering techniques and cold protection to keep your peace lily thriving through the colder months,
An Overview of Peace Lily Preferences
Peace lilies are native to tropical rainforests and like it when it’s warm and steamy there. Here’s a quick recap of their ideal growing conditions:
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Temperature Consistent 65-75°F is optimal. Avoid cold drafts below 50°F
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Light: Thrives in medium to bright, indirect sunlight. Direct sun will scorch leaves.
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Water: Likes consistently moist but not soggy soil. Allow potting mix to partly dry out between waterings.
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Humidity: Enjoys average household humidity. Higher humidity encourages blooms.
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Soil: Loose, peaty potting mix that retains some moisture is best.
When cared for properly indoors, peace lilies readily flower and make easy, low maintenance houseplants. But what happens when we move them outside?
Factors for Peace Lily Winter Survival Outdoors
Several key factors determine if a peace lily can successfully survive through winter outdoors:
Climate and Temperatures
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Mild coastal and southern climates provide the best opportunity for overwintering outside.
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Consistent frosts below 30°F will likely kill the plant. Brief light freezes may be tolerated.
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Fluctuating temperatures cause stress. Avoid wide swings above and below 50°F.
Microclimate Modification
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Partial cold protection can be provided by south-facing walls or other heat sinks.
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Covering the plant during cold snaps maintains warmer conditions.
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Locations shielded from wind and weather extremes improve survival odds.
Plant Health
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Plants grown indoors year-round tend to be less hardy than those acclimated outdoors.
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Larger, vigorous, well-established plants fare better than smaller starter plants.
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Avoid late season fertilizing so growth can harden off before winter.
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Insufficient sunlight over winter weakens the plant.
Caring for Outdoor Peace Lilies in Winter
If you want to try overwintering your peace lily outside, give it the best care possible:
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Slowly move the plant outside in the spring, after all danger of frost has passed.
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Select a location protected from excessive rain and cold winds.
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Check soil moisture often, watering when the top few inches become dry.
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Fertilize every 6-8 weeks during the active growing season with a balanced fertilizer.
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Prune off any dead, damaged, or diseased foliage and spent blooms.
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Mulch around the base to insulate roots with 2-3 inches of bark chips or straw.
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When it gets below 45°F, use burlap, frost cloth, or an upside-down bucket to protect the plant.
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Reduce watering in fall to encourage dormancy before winter arrives.
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If possible, move into a garage, enclosed porch, or greenhouse over winter.
Is Overwintering Peace Lilies Outdoors Worthwhile?
Peace lilies can spend the winter outside if they are well taken care of in warm climates, but there are risks involved. Plants that make it through one winter may not make it through the next because of a disease, an unexpected freeze, or something else.
Many gardeners find keeping peace lilies as easy houseplants to be less troublesome than fussing with outdoor overwintering protection. They simply buy new plants each spring.
If experimenting with outdoor wintering, start with vigorous plants you can afford to lose. Try different protection methods and see what works best for your conditions. But don’t get too attached – the peace lily may not survive!
For most gardeners, enjoying these tropical beauties as carefree houseplants is the best approach. But transitioning them outside through spring and summer remains an exciting option for daring green thumbs in warm regions.
Additional Peace Lily Care Tips for Outdoor Settings
Here are a few more pointers to keep your outdoor peace lily thriving through the seasons:
Watering
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Monitor soil moisture frequently and water more often than indoor plants due to increased light, airflow and possible higher temperatures.
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Take care not to overwater as wet feet quickly lead to root rot. Check moisture before watering.
Fertilizing
- Use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer per package directions during the active growing season. Too much fertilizer can harm plants.
Hot Summers
- Give plants a boost by providing additional water and misting leaves to increase humidity during hot, dry spells. But avoid waterlogged soil.
Winter Care
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In regions with mild winters, continue caring for outdoor plants with added frost protection as needed.
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Where winters are harsh, bring peace lilies indoors or into a greenhouse for the cold season.
While their natural home may be the steamy tropics, peace lilies can spend time outdoors in the right climate if given special care. Shelter from cold winds, deep mulching, and winter covers can see the plants through lighter frosts. But harsh winters usually require moving these tender tropicals back indoors. With a little trial and error, certain gardeners find overwintering peace lilies outdoors rewarding. For most growers though, keeping these beauties as easy houseplants is the surest path to success.
Watering and Feeding in an Outdoor Setting
- More Watering: Because your peace lily will be getting more light, air flow, and maybe even higher temperatures outside, it will probably need to be watered more often than it did inside. This higher frequency should always be paired with careful monitoring of the soil’s moisture level, though.
- Checking the Soil Moisture: You can get a better idea of when to water your peace lily by checking the soil moisture up to two inches deep. The wind and sun can quickly dry out the soil on the surface outside, but the soil deeper down may still be wet.
- Fertilizing: You should be very careful when feeding your peace lily outside. It can grow with the help of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer used during the growing season. But it’s important to stick to the dosage given so that plants don’t get too many nutrients, which can be bad for their health.
Assessing Your Local Climate
- When it comes to temperature, peace lilies have a small range of temperatures that they can handle. Even though 65°F to 80°F is the ideal range, it’s important to remember that sudden changes in temperature can be stressful. Peace lilies should be kept inside or given some other way to control the temperature in places where it gets below 60°F at night or during the winter.
- Needs High Humidity: Peace lilies are used to living in rainforests where the humidity is always high. This humidity is very important for their health; it affects everything from the texture of the leaves to the quality of the flowers. In drier climates, creating a micro-humid environment can be beneficial. Putting plants in a humidity tray or grouping them together can help make these conditions more like they are in nature.
- Light: They live in a place with dappled sunlight, which is very different from the harsh sunlight they’ll find outside. If you live in an area that gets a lot of sun, you need to make sure there is shade in the afternoon. A spot that gets soft morning sunlight and afternoon shade would work best.
Can Peace Lily Live Outside? – The Plant Enthusiast
FAQ
Can you put a potted peace lily outside?
Yes, you can put a potted peace lily outside, but it’s crucial to choose a suitable location and provide proper care. Peace lilies thrive in warm, humid environments and prefer bright, indirect light, so they do well outdoors during the summer months in many climates.
What do I do with my peace lily in the winter?
Optimizing Peace Lily Care in the Winter Peace lilies prefer bright, indirect light. Since there are fewer daylight hours in the winter, you may need to use artificial lighting to make sure your plant gets enough light.
What temperature is too cold for a peace lily to be outside?
Peace lilies should be brought inside or given some other kind of protection in places where it gets below 60°F at night or during the winter.
Do peace lilies come back every year?