Care

• Direct sunlight causes white spathes to turn green and burns or kills leaves. Light levels less than 100 foot candles may result in failure to flower and yellowing leaves. Leaves droop when plant needs water. If the plant becomes waterlogged, the roots turn black, spathes collapse and leaves develop brown edges.
  
  

Nutrients

• Most commercial potting soil contains enough micronutrients. but shrinking leaf size and yellowing or whitening of plant leaves indicates lack of iron or manganese. Overfertilization turns leaf edges and spathes brown.
  
  

Diseases

• Several fungi and viruses target the peace lily. Black or brown leaf spots result from aerial blight, cylindrocladium and pythium root rot or myrothecium leaf spot. All arums are susceptible to Dasheen mosaic virus, which is carried by aphids and causes yellow to light green mottling on new leaves.
  
  

Pests

• Mealybugs, mites and scales are nuisance insects on peace lilies. Thrips congregate in the crowns of large-leaved varieties and damage young leaves and stunt spathes.