Spathiphyllum wallisii, commonly known as the Peace Lily, is a lush tropical plant recognized for its glossy deep green leaves and elegant white flowers. Its ability to thrive in warm, humid environments makes it an excellent choice for paludariums, ripariums, terrariums, and other above-water planted displays.
Peace Lily is not a true aquatic plant and should not be permanently grown fully submerged. It is best used with its foliage and crown above the waterline while the roots remain in a consistently moist growing area or extend into the aquatic portion of a suitable setup.
Peace Lily is particularly useful for creating the appearance of dense tropical vegetation emerging from the edge of a water feature. Its broad leaves provide a strong contrast to smaller mosses, ferns, creeping plants, and fine-textured vegetation.
In a riparium-style setup, the root system can grow in or immediately adjacent to the aquarium water while the main plant remains above the surface. This creates a natural transition between the aquatic and terrestrial portions of the display.
In paludariums, Peace Lily can be positioned in moist terrestrial areas near streams, waterfalls, or other water features where humidity remains high.
Difficulty: Easy
Lighting: Low to Medium
Growth Rate: Moderate
Growth Habit: Rosette / Clumping
Colour: Deep Green
Best Placement: Emergent / Moist Terrestrial / Waterside
Fully Submerged: Not Recommended
Spathiphyllum wallisii appreciates warm conditions, good humidity, and consistent access to moisture. Its foliage can grow well under moderate lighting, making it useful in paludarium layouts where extremely intense lighting is neither available nor desirable.
When growing the roots directly in water, keep the crown and foliage above the waterline. Good water movement and oxygen availability around permanently wet roots can also help support healthy growth.
| Characteristic | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Spathiphyllum wallisii |
| Common Name | Peace Lily |
| Plant Type | Tropical Terrestrial / Emergent Plant |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Lighting | Low to Medium |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Growth Habit | Rosette / Clumping |
| Leaf Colour | Deep Green |
| Flower | White Spathe on Mature Plants |
| Recommended Use | Paludarium / Riparium / Terrarium / Waterside Planting |
| Roots in Water | Suitable with Foliage Above Water |
| Permanent Full Submersion | Not Recommended |
For paludarium use, remove the plant from its pot and carefully remove excess growing material from around the roots. Position the root system in a consistently moist substrate while keeping the central crown above the substrate and waterline.
For riparium-style growing, the roots can extend directly into the aquarium water while the crown, stems, and leaves remain above the surface. The roots may eventually develop extensively throughout the aquatic portion of the setup.
When transitioning a plant from conventional potting media to water-based growth, some older roots or leaves may be replaced as the plant adapts to its new growing conditions.
The broad tropical leaves of Peace Lily make it particularly effective as an above-water focal plant. Position it behind stone or driftwood so the foliage emerges naturally from the hardscape while the roots remain concealed below.
In larger paludariums, Peace Lily can provide height and visual mass behind smaller foreground vegetation. In open-top aquariums and ripariums, it can create a dramatic transition from the underwater aquascape to lush vegetation above the aquarium.
Pair it with mosses, ferns, creeping plants, and natural wood to create a dense tropical riverbank or rainforest-inspired presentation.
Bring lush tropical foliage above the waterline with Spathiphyllum wallisii – Peace Lily, available in Canada at Aquascaperoom.
