Peace Lily

The peace lily is a bit of a drama queen, and that's exactly why I like it for nervous keepers: it tells you precisely what it wants. Glossy dark leaves, elegant white spathes (the "flowers"), and a faint built-in thirst gauge make it one of the more communicative plants you can own.

Light

Peace lilies are happy in low to medium indirect light, which makes them great for rooms without a bright window. They'll flower more reliably with a bit more (still indirect) light, but keep them out of direct sun, which scorches the leaves and bleaches the colour.

Watering

Aim for consistently, lightly moist soil — not soggy, not bone dry. Here's the trick: when a peace lily gets thirsty it droops dramatically, with leaves flopping over the pot, then springs back within hours of watering. It's a handy signal, but try not to rely on the faint every time — repeated wilting stresses the plant. It also appreciates a little extra humidity.

Common problems

Brown leaf tips are the classic complaint, usually from minerals in tap water, over-fertilising, or dry air — try filtered or left-out water. No flowers means it likely wants a touch more light. Yellow leaves come with age or overwatering. A full collapse is almost always thirst — water it and watch it recover.