Spider mites
Fine webbing in the leaf joints plus a dusty, stippled look is spider mites, the prayer plant's most common pest.
Diagnosis
Spider mites
What's happening
Spider mites are tiny sap-sucking arachnids that thrive in the warm, dry air that also crisps a Maranta's edges, which is why prayer plants are such frequent targets. They pierce the leaf undersides and drain the cells, leaving a fine pale stippling, a dull dusty cast, and delicate webbing strung between leaves and stems. Populations explode fast and can defoliate a plant if left alone.
How to fix it
Isolate the plant immediately so the mites don't spread. Rinse it thoroughly in the shower or sink, paying special attention to the leaf undersides where they hide, then spray every surface — tops, undersides, and stems — with neem oil. Repeat the neem treatment every 5–7 days for at least three rounds to catch newly hatched mites, and raise the humidity around the plant afterward, since the dry air that let them take hold is easy to fix.
What fixes it
- Neem oil for pests — Neem oil smothers spider mites and their eggs across repeated treatments without harming the plant.
If that doesn't fix it
This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.
Read the full Red Prayer Plant care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this