From my perspective as a Peace Lily, when you give me too much water, you are essentially suffocating my very foundation—my roots. My roots need to breathe, drawing oxygen from the air pockets in the soil. When the soil is constantly saturated, it drowns my root system. This creates a two-fold problem. First, the lack of oxygen causes the root cells to die and begin to rot. Second, these sick, rotting roots can no longer perform their vital function of absorbing water and nutrients and transporting them up to my stems and leaves. Ironically, even though the soil is wet, my leaves cannot get a drink. This is why one of the first signs you will see is my leaves turning yellow, often starting with the lower, older foliage. Simultaneously, my stems may become soft and limp, causing me to wilt dramatically. This is not the same as my polite, "I'm thirsty" droop, which recovers quickly with water. This is a persistent, sad wilt that does not improve.
My leaves are my communication system, and they will show clear signs of the internal water imbalance. You may notice the tips of my leaves turning brown and crispy. This happens because the damaged roots cannot supply water to the farthest points of my leaves, causing them to dry out and die, even as the soil remains wet. In more severe cases, you might see strange, water-soaked blisters or bumps on the undersides of my leaves. This condition is called edema. It occurs when my roots, under pressure from the wet soil, continue to absorb water faster than my leaves can release it through transpiration. The excess water pressure bursts the leaf cells, creating these lesions which later turn into rusty or corky brown spots.
The most critical damage from overwatering happens out of your sight, in the soil. If you were to gently lift me from my pot, you would see the true extent of the problem. Healthy roots are firm and white or tan. Roots that are suffering from rot are mushy, brown, or black, and they may fall apart easily when touched. They often emit a distinctly foul, musty, or sour odor—the smell of decay. This rot is frequently caused by opportunistic soil fungi, like Pythium or Phytophthora, which thrive in waterlogged conditions and actively attack my weakened roots. This root rot is a life-threatening condition for me, as it progressively destroys my entire root system.
If you suspect I am overwatered, immediate action is required. First, you must stop watering me immediately. Allow the soil to dry out considerably. For a more advanced case, you will need to repot me. Gently remove me from my pot and wash the soil from my roots. This is where you must perform root surgery. Using sterile, sharp scissors, carefully cut away all the soft, brown, and rotten roots. Only the firm, healthy roots should remain. Then, repot me into a clean pot with adequate drainage holes, using a fresh, well-draining potting mix. A blend designed for aroids, which often contains peat, perlite, and orchid bark, is ideal for me as it provides both moisture retention and ample aeration. After repotting, water me lightly just to settle the new soil around my remaining roots, and then place me in a bright, warm spot with indirect light to recover. From now on, please only water me when the top inch or two of my soil feels dry to your touch.
