Dear Teri,

Thank you for using Ask Extension. A request for support has been created and a representative will follow-up with you as soon as possible. Questions are usually answered within two business days. You can view this question's progress online.

YOUR QUESTION #0037136:

peace lily diagnosis

I have a peace lily that has what looks like a black powder on the leaves. I have been wiping it off, but it comes back. Also, when I was wiping the leaves today, I noticed that on the underside of the leave, by the central vein, there was a line of what looked like little beige seeds. I'm guessing this is an insect and have tried to identify it but haven't been successful. Can you tell me what these problems are and advise what I should do about them? I've taken photos, but am not sure how to convert them to a. .jpg .png or .gif so that I can upload them here - sorry. Thank you!

Ask Extension offers one-to-one expert answers from Cooperative Extension/University staff and volunteers within participating Land-Grant institutions across the United States.

If you wish to provide additional comments or information regarding the issue, please reply to this email or login to your account for a complete archive of your prior questions and answers.

---

This message for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for personalized professional advice. For specific local information, contact your local county Cooperative Extension office or other qualified professionals. eXtension Foundation does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, professional services, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned. Reliance on any information provided by eXtension Foundation, employees, suppliers, member universities, or other third parties through eXtension is solely at the user's own risk. All eXtension content and communication is subject to the Terms of Use which may be revised at any time.

The beige bumps on the leaf undersides could  be due to a fungus, or more likely to scale, which is difficult to eliminate.  You can try  to remove each individual scale by scraping it off the leaf or by dabbing it with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball. Insecticides are only effective at the nymph stage and not once the insect develops a coating.  For more information, see https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/yard-and-garden-control-scale-and-mealybugs-houseplants

The black powdery spots on the leaves are most likely due to a fungus or to pests, but they can be caused by a number of other conditions, such as over-fertilizing, improper amount of light, low  humidity or improper choice of potting mix.  Consider each of these possibilities, and read the following article, to see if one stands out for you.

For more information and general care of peace lilies, read https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/spathiphyllum/

The  soot on the leaves may be black sooty mold, which is a fungus that grows on honeydew exuded by the scale insects.  Check out the articles previously mentioned for how to deal with this problem and how to care for your peace lily.