Why You Should Keep A Peace Lily Plant In Your Bathroom, According To Feng Shui

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum) is a popular houseplant thanks to its visual appeal and low maintenance. When deciding where to place indoor plants like the peace lily, there's a lot to consider if you want them to thrive. If you follow feng shui home concepts in the hopes of increasing both aesthetic and energetic balance, though, there's additional guidance to consider. One such recommendation is to use a peace lily to help balance out the element of water by placing the plant in a moisture-rich area such as your bathroom.

Feng shui is arguably one of the oldest set of principles for arranging living spaces. According to the College of Tao, this practice dates back to more than 5,000 years, and it intersects with both Chinese Medicine and Taoist philosophy. Many westerners have adopted feng shui in their home designs to help facilitate better flow of energy (referred to as "chi" or "qi"). Doing so also involves either placing or removing certain items in accordance with the five elements, which include earth, fire, metal, water, and wood.

Feng shui generally recommends indoor plants that evoke feelings of relaxation and renewal, rather than harsher specimens like cacti. Such qualities may be found in peace lily. But why place peace lily in a bathroom? As Anjie Cho, architect, feng shui and dharma arts teacher, and author, told Homes and Gardens, "A peace lily could be wonderful for feng shui placement in the bathroom to mitigate draining water element." In other words, according to feng shui, by absorbing moisture from its surroundings, a peace lily can help remove excess water energy from a room where the element is omnipresent. 

While there are no scientific sources that support the energy-balancing effects associated with placing peace lilies (or houseplants more generally) in a bathroom, it might be worth giving this placement a try if you follow feng shui principles in your home. Peace lilies don't need a whole lot of water, but this location could still benefit the plant because it prefers moist soil, and the medium will dry out slower in the humid environment of a bathroom. 

And while this plant may work well in a bathroom according to feng shui principles and due to its preference for dampness, there are a other tips and tricks to help peace lilies thrive. Peace lilies do their best with indirect sunlight. If you have a window in your bathroom, and there's a sill wide enough to support the pot, consider putting the plant there. At the same time, keep the peace lily away from any vents in the room, as both cold and hot drafts may harm it. Finally, stay away from these mistakes when watering your peace lilies. By keeping these key care tips in mind, you can give your peace lily plant the best bathroom growing environment possible while following feng shui concepts.