TankBud

Pogostemon helferi

Also known as Downoi, Daonoi, Little Star, Pogostemon helferi 'Downoi Red', Pogostemon helferi 'Red', Downoi Red

FreshwaterCarpetingSide shootsCuttings

Pogostemon helferi (Pogostemon helferi)
Yercaud-elango · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Light
High light
CO2
CO₂ beneficial
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
Max height
3.1 in
8 cm
Growth rate
Medium
Placement
Foreground
Type
Carpeting
pH
6.0–7.5
Hardness
2–12 dGH
Spread
3.1 in (8 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Medium
Family
Lamiaceae
Origin
Thailand (Mekong/Salween river basins of Southeast Asia)

Overview

Pogostemon helferi is a compact rosette plant for the foreground, where it works as an accent or a carpet. It is rated medium in difficulty.

Did you know

Pogostemon helferi is sold as Downoi, a trade name from a Thai phrase meaning little star. The name nods to the way its crinkled leaves splay out from the center like the points of a star.

Caring for Pogostemon helferi

Split Pogostemon helferi into small clumps and plant them a few centimeters apart in the foreground, so side shoots can fill the gaps. Set the crown right at the substrate surface and avoid burying the growing center.

Strong light keeps the rosettes compact and the leaves tightly curled. It grows without injected CO2, but CO2 plus regular dosing gives a faster, denser carpet. Feed both roots and water with root tabs and a liquid fertilizer. It handles 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C).

It grows at a moderate pace. Cut off a side shoot once it has a few leaves to start a new clump. It is prone to calcium and iron deficiency, which shows up as pale new growth or twisted tips. Keep micronutrients and a little GH and calcium topped up.

Good to know

Pogostemon helferi is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae. It grows as a low rosette of crinkled, wavy-edged leaves around a short central crown. It spreads sideways by side shoots rather than long runners. The scientific name honors the botanist who first collected it, and it only reached the hobby in the mid-2000s.

In the wild

Pogostemon helferi is native to seasonally flooded limestone areas of Thailand and the wider Mekong and Salween basins in Southeast Asia. It grows on rocks in fast-flowing streams, emersed in the dry season and fully submersed in the wet season. Its limestone home has hard, mineral-rich water.

Common questions

Does Pogostemon helferi need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Split it into small clumps and push each one into the substrate with tweezers, leaving gaps for it to fill.

Does Pogostemon helferi need CO2?

No, but it helps. Pogostemon helferi can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.

How much light does Pogostemon helferi need?

Pogostemon helferi needs high light from a strong planted-tank LED. In weaker light it grows upward instead of spreading across the substrate.

Does Pogostemon helferi need root tabs?

They help. Pogostemon helferi takes nutrients through both its roots and its leaves. Root tabs near its roots and a liquid fertilizer cover both.

How do you propagate Pogostemon helferi?

Pogostemon helferi propagates by side shoots and cuttings. Cut a side shoot off once it has a few leaves and plant it on its own. Cut off the top of a stem and replant it, and the stump left behind grows new shoots.

How tall does Pogostemon helferi grow?

Pogostemon helferi grows to about 3.1 in (8 cm) tall. It grows at a moderate pace.

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