TankBud

Pogostemon stellatus

Also known as Eusteralis stellata, Star Pogostemon, Water Star, Pogostemon stellatus Octopus, Pogostemon stellatus 'Narrow Leaf'

FreshwaterStemCuttingsSide shoots

Pogostemon stellatus (Pogostemon stellatus)
User:Tsunamicarlos · PD

Care at a glance

Light
High light
CO2
CO₂ required
Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
Max height
23.6 in
60 cm
Growth rate
Medium
Placement
Background
Type
Stem
pH
6.0–7.0
Hardness
3–12 dGH
Spread
3.9 in (10 cm)
Nutrient uptake
Root + water column
Growth region
Submersed or emersed
Difficulty
Difficult
Family
Lamiaceae
Origin
Asia and Australia

Overview

Pogostemon stellatus is a showpiece stem plant for the background. It is genuinely demanding, rated difficult, and not a beginner plant.

Did you know

Pogostemon stellatus shares its genus with patchouli, the mint relative whose oil scents perfumes and incense.

Caring for Pogostemon stellatus

Strip the lower leaves and plant the stems one at a time, with space to bush out. Shops usually sell emersed-grown stems, which look compact and unremarkable until they convert. Expect a frustrating melt-and-reconvert phase while they switch to submersed growth.

Pogostemon stellatus needs strong light, pressurized CO2 and a steady supply of nitrate, phosphate and micronutrients. Feed the roots with root tabs and the water with a liquid fertilizer. It handles 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and a pH of 6 to 7.

It grows at a moderate pace, and trimmed tops replant as new stems. Pale or stunted leaves usually signal a shortfall in micronutrients or CO2. It can also stall unexpectedly even when the parameters look right.

Good to know

Pogostemon stellatus belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. It was formerly placed in the genus Eusteralis, which is still its most common trade synonym. Submersed stems carry narrow leaves in dense whorls, the star or octopus arrangement behind its names. Under good conditions it flushes pink, purple and orange, and its color and leaf form change markedly between the emersed and submersed forms.

In the wild

Pogostemon stellatus grows in seasonally wet habitats, marshes and rice fields across tropical Asia and into northern Australia. It lives partly emersed in soft, nutrient-rich marshland.

Common questions

Does Pogostemon stellatus need to be planted in the substrate?

Yes. Strip the leaves from the lower part of each stem, then push the stems into the substrate one at a time, a little apart.

Does Pogostemon stellatus need CO2?

Yes. Pogostemon stellatus needs injected CO2 to grow well, and it usually struggles without it.

How much light does Pogostemon stellatus need?

Pogostemon stellatus needs high light from a strong planted-tank LED. In weaker light its stems stretch and drop their lower leaves.

Does Pogostemon stellatus need root tabs?

They help. Pogostemon stellatus 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 stellatus?

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

How tall does Pogostemon stellatus grow?

Pogostemon stellatus grows to about 23.6 in (60 cm) tall. It grows at a moderate pace.

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