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Field Guide · Spathiphyllum

Spathiphyllum — why the basic Peace Lily still deserves its place in a serious collection

Spathiphyllum
~47 accepted species in the genus

The grocery-store flag-waver hides a genus of forest-floor specialists with thicker leaves, longer spadices, and more character than the trade lets on.

The picks
01
Spathiphyllum wallisii
Terrestrial · compact rosette

The species behind most of the cheap hybrids, and still the one to grow if you want the genus done honestly. Narrow, ribbed leaves to about 30 cm and a clean white spathe that holds for weeks. It flowers reliably in modest light, which almost nothing else does. Source a true wallisii rather than a no-name hybrid and the difference in leaf substance is obvious.

Honest baseline

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