20+ Rare & Unusual Peace Lily Varieties You'll Love (With Care Tips)
Peace lily varieties run from 25 cm dwarfs such as 'Piccolino' and 'Little Angel' to 1.5 m giants such as 'Sensation', plus variegated rarities like 'Picasso', 'Domino' and 'White Stripe'. All are Spathiphyllum cultivars, all prefer bright indirect light with evenly moist soil, and all are toxic to cats and dogs if chewed.
Quick facts
| Variety | Mature size indoors (approx.) | Standout feature | Light and best spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spathiphyllum wallisii | 40 cm tall, 50 cm wide | Compact species type, lightly scented spathes | Bright indirect; tabletop or study desk |
| 'Sensation' | 1.2-1.5 m tall | Largest peace lily, broad ribbed leaves | Bright shade; floor plant in a living room corner |
| S. cannifolium | 50 cm tall, 60-90 cm wide | Canna-like leaves, pale yellow spathe | Bright indirect; wide floor pot |
| 'Domino' | Up to 90 cm tall, 60 cm wide | White-speckled variegation | Brightest indirect light you have; never direct sun |
| 'Jetty' | 60 cm (24 in) | Free-flowering, tough | Bright indirect; office cabin or lobby |
| 'Power Petite' | 30 cm tall, 25 cm wide | Dense, tidy rosette | Medium to bright indirect; small shelf |
| 'Piccolino' | 25-30 cm | Smallest cultivar, near-continuous small blooms | Bright indirect; tabletop |
| 'Little Angel' | Up to 30 cm | Miniature leaves and 7-8 cm blooms | Bright indirect; shelf or bedside |
| 'Mauna Loa Supreme' | 75-90 cm | Long flower stems, large white spathes | Bright indirect; floor pot |
| 'Bongo Bongo' | About 1 m | Very dark leaves with pale veining | Bright indirect; large floor pot |
| 'Allison' | 50-60 cm | Slim glossy leaves, calla-like spathes | Bright shade; no direct sun |
| 'Golden' | 23 cm tall, 15 cm wide | Narrow furled spathes, golden-toned gloss | Bright indirect; desk plant |
| 'Mojo' | 75-90 cm | Tall stems hold flowers above the leaves | Bright indirect; frost-free balcony |
| 'Sweet Rocco' | 40-50 cm | Newer clumping cultivar, long-lasting blooms | Tolerates medium light; humid rooms |
| 'Patricia' | Up to 30 cm | Open, airy habit rather than bushy | Bright indirect; grouped with fuller plants |
| 'Cupido' | 65 cm tall, 25 cm wide | Long lance leaves, 18 cm spathes | Bright indirect; narrow corner |
| 'Snowflower' (S. floribundum) | 30 cm | Small velvety leaves, many small flowers | Copes with lower light; bathroom or north window |
| 'White Stripe' | 45-60 cm | Silvery white stripe down the midrib | Bright indirect; feature plant |
| 'Clevelandii' | 45-60 cm indoors | Ribbon-like leaves up to 45 cm long | Bright indirect; floor or plant stand |
| 'Savanaah' | 50-60 cm | Matte, arching, arrow-shaped leaves | Bright indirect; hallway or entrance |
| 'Platinum Mist' | 40 cm | Silvery misted foliage, multiple blooms | Bright indirect; styling piece |
| 'Blue Moon' | 60-90 cm | Broad dark leaves, large blooms | Bright indirect, warm and humid |
| 'Picasso' | 40-60 cm | Rarest; bold paint-stroke white variegation | Brightest indirect light; no direct sun |
Table of contents
What is peace Lily and how to identify it?
The peace lily is a tropical flowering plant in the genus Spathiphyllum, part of the arum family (Araceae). Despite the name, it is not a true lily; true lilies belong to the Liliaceae family. That difference matters for pet owners, because peace lilies are far less dangerous to cats than true lilies, though they are still toxic if chewed.
Peace lilies flower mainly in spring, and a well-grown plant often blooms a second time later in the year. Each flush lasts for weeks. Growth is slow to moderate, so most plants take two to three years to reach full size. Indoors, expect 30-90 cm depending on the variety; large types grown in warm, sheltered gardens can go well past that.
Two features make identification easy:
Leaves: long, oval to lance-shaped, glossy dark green, rising directly from a central clump on their own stalks.
Flowers: what looks like a white petal is a modified leaf called a spathe, wrapping a creamy finger-like spadix that carries the true, tiny flowers. The upright white spathe resembles a flag of peace, which gives the plant its common name. Scent is mild and only noticeable in some varieties.
How many types of peace lilies are there?
Botanists recognise roughly 40 to 50 Spathiphyllum species, most of them from tropical America, with a few from South East Asia and the Pacific. Only a handful are grown as houseplants. Nearly everything sold in nurseries is a named cultivar or hybrid, and there are dozens of those; they differ mainly in height, leaf shape, variegation and how freely they flower.
Types of peace Lily
1. Spathiphyllum wallisii
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum wallisii
This is the compact species behind many modern cultivars, native to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. It grows to about 40 cm tall and 50 cm wide, with white spathes around 8 cm long and a lightly sweet scent. It is named after Gustav Wallis, the German plant collector who introduced it.
Being a forest-floor plant, it wants steadily moist soil, warmth and filtered light. Two hours of hot afternoon sun through a west-facing window in May will scorch the leaves brown at the edges.
2. Sensation Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Sensation'
The largest peace lily in cultivation. Broad, deeply ribbed dark green leaves build up in layers, and mature plants reach 1.2-1.5 m tall with a similar spread. Flower stems can top 50 cm.
Use it as a floor-standing statement plant beside a sofa or in a stairwell landing. Give it a heavy pot; it becomes top-heavy.
3. Cannifolium Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum cannifolium
Also called the canna-leaf peace lily. It forms a spreading evergreen clump about 50 cm tall and 60-90 cm across, with large, glossy, strongly veined leaves that look like canna foliage.
Flowers sit on a slim creamy-white spadix backed by a larger pale yellow-green spathe that folds back as it ages. The species comes from northern South America and is now grown worldwide as a houseplant.
4. Peace Lily Domino
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Domino'
'Domino' is the best-known variegated peace lily, with lance-shaped leaves splashed and speckled in white. It is one of the larger cultivars, up to about 90 cm tall and 60 cm across, with cone-shaped white spathes over 15 cm long that hold for weeks.
Variegated leaves carry less chlorophyll, so 'Domino' needs the brightest indirect light in the house to keep its markings. That is not the same as direct sun: an hour of Indian midday sun will bleach and burn the white sections. A shaded east balcony or a spot 1 m back from a bright window works best.
5. Jetty Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Jetty'
An evergreen perennial grown for its resilience in offices and other low-attention spaces. It has dark, glossy leaves and white spathes with cream spadices, and it flowers more freely than many cultivars. It grows quickly to around 60 cm (24 in).
6. Power Petite Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Power Petite'
A compact cultivar for small flats and desks. Oval dark green leaves grow close together for a dense, tidy look, reaching about 30 cm tall and 25 cm wide.
It likes partial or indirect light and warm, humid air, which makes it a good choice for a bathroom with a window or a kitchen shelf away from the hob. Flowering is frequent rather than tied to one season.
7. Piccolino Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Piccolino'
One of the smallest peace lilies, topping out around 25-30 cm tall and wide, with deep green oval leaves and small white spathes that appear on and off through much of the year. Ideal as a tabletop or bedside plant. Light watering and the odd tidy-up of spent leaves keep it looking sharp.
8. Little Angel Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Little Angel'
A scaled-down peace lily with fine leaves and small spathes that sit just above the foliage, so a well-grown plant looks like a neat posy. It rarely passes 30 cm, and the blooms stay around 7-8 cm. Good for a shelf, a study table or a narrow window ledge.
9. Mauna Loa Supreme Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa Supreme'
A classic large cultivar with long leaves, often over 30 cm, that arch outwards at the tips. Flower stems can reach 50 cm, each carrying a single creamy-white spathe around a finger-like spadix. The spathes hold for weeks and slowly turn green with age.
The plant's overall shape is reminiscent of a hosta. Flowering peaks from winter into early summer in most Indian homes, with occasional blooms at other times. The related 'Mauna Loa' is the peace lily that was tested in the 1989 NASA sealed-chamber experiments.
10. Bongo Bongo Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Bongo Bongo'
A big cultivar, just short of 'Sensation', reaching roughly 1 m indoors. The dark green leaves show pale, strongly marked veins, and the spathes are smaller than average but long-lasting. Keep the compost evenly moist and the light bright but indirect.
11. Spathiphyllum 'Allison'
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Allison'
A nursery-bred cultivar, not a wild species, though its parent species come from tropical South America. It is medium-sized at 50-60 cm, with glossy, slim leaves and neat hooded spathes that look a little like calla lilies.
'Allison' is low-maintenance and fairly quick growing. It dislikes direct sun, so keep it in shade or bright indirect light. If you grow it on a balcony in Delhi, Chandigarh or Lucknow, move it indoors once night temperatures drop below about 12°C in December and January.
12. Spathiphyllum 'Golden'
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Golden'
A scarce, small indoor cultivar with narrow, furled spathes that twist rather than open flat, and glossy leaves carrying a warm golden tone. Young spathes are green and whiten as they mature. It stays small, around 23 cm tall and 15 cm wide, so it suits a work desk.
You will see 'Golden' sold as an air-purifying plant. Treat that claim with caution: the evidence for houseplants measurably cleaning room air is weak (see Sources).
13. Spathiphyllum 'Mojo'
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Mojo'
An easy, free-flowering cultivar that grows in clumps, with tall, slender stems that lift the spathes clear of the foliage so they are easy to see across a room. Grow it in a pot indoors or in a frost-free shaded garden bed. Mature height is around 75-90 cm.
14. Spathiphyllum 'Sweet Rocco'
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Sweet Rocco'
One of the newer clumping cultivars, with glossy green leaves and creamy-white spathes that last well. It reaches about 40-50 cm and copes with rooms that never get strong light, which makes it useful for inner corridors and north-facing flats. It prefers humid air, so it is happiest during the monsoon and needs help in a dry air-conditioned room.
15. Spathiphyllum 'Patricia'
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Patricia'
A small cultivar, up to about 30 cm, with green leaves and white spathes around pale yellow spadices. The habit is open and airy rather than bushy, so if you want a dense mound of foliage, choose 'Power Petite' or 'Piccolino' instead, or group three 'Patricia' plants in one wide pot.
16. Cupido Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum cochlearispathum 'Cupido'
Lance-shaped, dark green, high-gloss foliage on an upright plant that reaches about 65 cm tall and 25 cm wide. The spathes are large for the plant's footprint, roughly 18 cm long and 6 cm wide, with a spadix of 5-10 cm. A good choice for a narrow corner where a wide plant will not fit.
17. Snowflower Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum floribundum
Oval leaves with long, drawn-out tips, roughly 25 cm long and 12 cm wide at maturity, with a slightly velvety finish. It became a popular houseplant because it flowers freely and tolerates low light and minimal fuss. It still does best in bright, filtered light with consistently moist soil.
18. White Stripe Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'White Stripe'
Standard peace lily habit, but each dark green leaf carries a bold silvery-white stripe along the midrib. It is sometimes traded under names such as white lightning or silver stripe. Because the stripe is a variegation, keep it in good indirect light or the marking fades.
19. "Clevelandii" Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Clevelandii'
A dramatic older cultivar with long, glossy, lance-shaped leaves, up to about 45 cm each, arranged in a ribbon-like fan. The spathes are large and curve protectively around a creamy spadix.
In warm, humid tropical gardens it can build into a very large clump; indoors it usually settles at around half a metre.
20. Peace Lily "Savanaah"
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Savanaah'
Grown for its foliage: deep green, broadly arrow-shaped leaves with shallow ribbing and a wide arching habit. Unusually for a peace lily, the finish is matte rather than glossy, which reads well against shiny ceramic pots. Expect around 50-60 cm indoors.
Some additional types of peace lilies
Three more worth knowing if you are building a collection.
Spathiphyllum Platinum Mist
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum wallisii 'Platinum Mist'
A compact wallisii selection with a silvery sheen across the foliage. It blooms in flushes, producing several spathes at once that hold for weeks, which is why interior stylists like it as a centrepiece.
Spathiphyllum Blue Moon
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Blue Moon'
A medium to large cultivar with broad, dark green leaves that curve at the tips and generous white spathes. Its parentage is tropical South American, so it thrives in warm, humid conditions and sulks in dry winter air. Grown outdoors in a sheltered, shaded spot in a humid climate it can pass three feet.
Picasso Peace Lily
Botanical name: Spathiphyllum 'Picasso'
The rarest peace lily you are likely to meet, prized for leaves marked with broad white sectors that look like brush strokes. Variegation is unstable, so some leaves come out almost pure white and others fully green; pinch out all-white leaves, which cannot feed themselves, and keep the plant in bright indirect light. Care is otherwise the same as any other peace lily.
Peace lily care tips
Peace lilies are tropical evergreens from the forest floor, so the aim is warmth, filtered light and soil that is moist but never waterlogged.
Light: bright, indirect light is ideal, for example 1-2 m inside an east-facing window or on a covered north or east balcony. They survive in low light but flower less and grow looser. Keep them out of direct sun between March and June in most of India; even an hour of harsh afternoon sun scorches the leaves.
Water by season:
- Summer (March-June): check every 2-3 days; water when the top 2-3 cm of compost feels dry. Plants on hot balconies may need water daily.
- Monsoon (July-September): cut back sharply. Humidity is high and pots dry slowly, so water only when the surface is genuinely dry, and tip out any water sitting in the saucer.
- Winter (November-February): water perhaps once every 7-10 days. Use room-temperature water; cold tap water in north India chills the roots.
A peace lily will wilt dramatically when thirsty and recover within hours of watering. Rely on the soil, not the drama; repeated wilting weakens the plant, and constant sogginess rots the roots.
Soil: a rich, fast-draining mix, roughly two parts good potting compost to one part cocopeat and one part perlite or coarse sand, in a pot with drainage holes. Slightly acidic, pH 5.5-6.5, suits them. They can also be grown in water alone as long as the crown of the plant sits above the waterline and the water is changed weekly.
Temperature: 18-30°C is the comfort zone. Below about 10°C leaves blacken, so move balcony plants inside during a north Indian cold snap. Keep them away from direct air-conditioner and cooler draughts.
Humidity: they love humid air and are happiest above 50 per cent. In an air-conditioned bedroom or a dry Delhi winter, stand the pot on a pebble tray with water, group plants together, or move the plant to a bathroom with a window.
Water quality: brown, crisp leaf tips usually mean hard or heavily chlorinated water, or fertiliser build-up. Use filtered or RO water, or let tap water stand overnight, and flush the pot thoroughly with plain water every couple of months.
Repotting: every two to three years, or when roots push out of the drainage holes. Go up just one pot size to avoid soggy, unused compost. Late winter to early spring is the best time.
Fertiliser: feed lightly once a month through spring and summer with a balanced liquid feed at half the recommended strength, and stop in winter. Overfeeding causes leaf burn and brown tips. For plants grown in water, add a few drops of liquid fertiliser at each water change, roughly fortnightly.
Pruning: once a flower stem has finished, it will not bloom again, so cut it right down at the base with clean, sharp scissors to make room for new growth. Remove yellow or shrivelled leaves the same way. Wipe the leaves with a damp cloth every few weeks; dust cuts light and hides spider mites, which are common in dry weather.
Safety: all parts contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. Chewing causes burning of the mouth, drooling and vomiting in cats, dogs and small children, so place plants out of reach.
Conclusion
Most peace lilies look broadly alike; the real choice is about scale and markings. Pick 'Piccolino', 'Little Angel' or 'Power Petite' for desks and shelves, 'Sensation', 'Bongo Bongo' or 'Mauna Loa Supreme' for floor-standing drama, and 'Domino', 'White Stripe' or 'Picasso' if you want variegation. Care is the same across the group, so once you can keep one alive, you can keep them all.
You can see our indoor range at indoor plants and matching planters at ceramic pots, or contact us if you would like help choosing a size for your room.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can peace lilies grow in any home?
Yes, in most homes. They need warmth, bright indirect light and regular water, and they tolerate low light better than almost any flowering houseplant. Size is the real limit: 'Sensation' and 'Bongo Bongo' reach a metre or more, so choose a dwarf cultivar for a compact flat.
Does a peace lily prefer shade or sun?
Shade, or more precisely bright indirect light. Peace lilies grow on tropical forest floors and burn in direct sun, especially Indian summer sun. An east-facing window with a sheer curtain, or a covered balcony that gets no midday sun, gives the best leaves and the most flowers.
Are peace lilies toxic to pets?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Spathiphyllum as toxic to cats, dogs and horses. All varieties contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that cause mouth burning, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing if chewed. It is not the same severe kidney poisoning that true lilies cause in cats, but keep plants out of reach.
What is the rarest peace lily?
'Picasso' is the hardest to find, with bold white paint-stroke variegation across green leaves. 'Domino' and 'White Stripe' are the more available variegated options. Rare variegated cultivars need brighter indirect light than plain green ones and grow more slowly.
What is the biggest peace lily?
'Sensation' is the largest cultivar, typically 1.2-1.5 m tall with a similar spread in a large pot, and taller still in ideal tropical conditions. 'Bongo Bongo', 'Mauna Loa Supreme' and 'Clevelandii' are the next biggest and suit floor pots.
Which peace lily is best for an Indian home?
For most flats, Spathiphyllum wallisii, 'Power Petite' or 'Piccolino' are the easiest, since they fit shelves and tolerate indoor light. If you have a shaded balcony or a tall corner, choose 'Sensation' or 'Mauna Loa Supreme'. Avoid heavily variegated types in dim rooms.
Do peace lilies really purify indoor air?
Not meaningfully. The 1989 NASA study tested plants, including a peace lily, in small sealed chambers, not homes. Later reviews, including Cummings and Waring (2019), found potted plants have little measurable effect on room air compared with normal ventilation. Grow peace lilies for their looks and easy care.
Why is my peace lily not flowering?
Usually too little light. Move it closer to a bright window without direct sun, feed monthly at half strength through spring and summer, and avoid an oversized pot, which pushes leaf growth over flowers. Plants under two years old often need time before their first proper flush.