Indoor Plants That Are Resistant to Spider Mites

Pothos Plant

• The pothos plant is native to Southeast Asian jungles, where it matures at 40 feet or more. Most people have plants that hang 6 to 8 feet in their homes. It is a popular houseplant because it is easy to take care of. It prefers to dry out between waterings, it doesn't require a great deal of light and it only needs to be repotted every couple of years.

Spider Plant

• The spider plant comes from South Africa, where it frequently grows in the rocks. Spider plants are usually variegated with white and green leaves. They send out shoots, which bloom and then become baby spider plants. These will root themselves into nearby soil if provided. The babies can be cut off and potted or used as bedding plants. Spider plants like to be near a window but prefer not to be exposed to midday sun. The spider plant likes to dry out between waterings and prefers to be root bound in its pot. It is easily divided when the time to repot comes, making this an easy plant to care for.

Spider Mites and These Plants

• If either of these plants gets spider mites, the easiest way to treat them is to put them in the bathtub and spray them with tepid water to wash the spider mites off. Make sure to direct the spray underneath the leaves and get them as clean as you can. After the bath, spray the leaves and soil with Neem oil. This comes from the Neem tree in India and is an organic insecticide and repellant.