Peace Man...... (Peace Lily)

Member Name: millergirl

Product:	Peace Lily
Date:	08/09/01 (1113 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Look really good and require little attention, As well as a plant you can give a little peace!

Disadvantages: none

You need to remember that I was a child of the sixties. You must have read about it, rock and roll, marijuana with breakfast, dinner and tea, free love, flower power and oh yes never forget ‘peace man!

Now are you conjuring up an image of my youth? Okay now you’ve got it, forget the lot apart from the peace bit. I was what you might term an observer, people around me may have been smoking goodness knows what but not me (when it’s legal maybe) and as for the free love well I played pretty safe and that’s all I’m saying! But oh how I liked the whole idea of peace and that part of me has never changed. No, I haven’t forgotten this op is about a plant but the history is important.

I am hopeless at raising plants in my house, kind people give them to me as presents and how do I reward them? I kill them everyone; I should make very clear here that it is the plants that end up dead not the givers! Then I discovered the peace lily.

It had glossy dark green leaves and beautiful white flowers with yellow ‘spears’ within them springing up from amongst the leaves and I took an instant shine to it. Call me daft if you like but when I saw the name, I was even more delighted with it. Why was I thrilled to receive a Spathiphyllum, well I wasn’t but to get a peace lily somehow seemed symbolic. This was about ten years ago and over that time I must have given dozens of them to others at the slightest excuse, I like the idea that as well as giving a beautiful plant I am giving the feeling of peace with it, logical no but I like it!

It isn’t only the name or the beauty of this plant but it’s easy care that is important to me. The peace lily is a member of the Araceae family of plants. It comes originally from swamplands in Columbia (takes you back to the 60’s again) and it likes bright light but no direct sunlight. If you put your plant where it does not get enough lig
ht it will not flower and after some time it will look as though it has lost the will to live! It likes to be kept moist, not soggy mind just moist but please don’t let your lovely lily dry right out. Feed your plant with a liquid house plant food once every two weeks. Keep your lily out of drafts and heat sources and hopefully it will live for months at least. In the spring time it likes to be moved to a new pot just slightly bigger than it’s old one don’t think you are being kind by putting it in a great big one that will do it no favours.

The peace lily can get spider mites and other little bugs and I’m afraid a trip to your garden centre for a remedy is the best way to deal with it. Treat it quickly and you should manage to rid the little blighters! Honestly if I can keep these plants alive and I can then I’m quite sure you can and any friend you may choose to give them to.

One time my mind always goes to the peace lily is if I know people getting married that I want to give a token gift to. Sure they haven’t actually invited me to the really posh do but I may turn up at the church to make up the numbers. I like the image of giving peace to the pair of them usually with some not very witty card about their love lasting longer than the plant!


So if you want an idea of what to give someone that will last and with a bit of symbolism thrown in, buy a peace lily, they are available all over even in the supermarket. You can get little ones for a couple of pounds or if they’re worth a bit more then splash out on a bigger one. While you’re there treat yourself they won’t cost more than a few cut flowers and may live for years, mine has!

I may not be your average horti …..culturist, you know

but hey, buy one soon and give it with love and peace man!

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