Pogostemon erectus
Pogostemon erectus (Indian Star Plant)
A fairly new plant to the hobby (as of 2011), Pogostemnon erectus is characterized by it's slender, needle like leaves and it's neat, vertical growth habit. This plant is moderately demanding, a bit more so than the related Pogostemnon stellatus but is quite easy if you have good lighting and CO2. It's a very lovely green color that looks spectacular next to red or magenta plants and grows very upright for a clean and neat look.
A fantastic plant for the background or midground of your aquarium!
QUICK NOTES:
Difficulty: Moderate
Type: Stem
Size: 15 to 50cm in height
Position and Usage: Midground (with high lighting) or Background
Growth rate: Moderate
Lighting: 3/5 - 5/5
Water Conditions: 22 - 28°C
CO2: Recommended
Propagation: Cuttings, side shoots
Special Requirements: Substrate fertilization highly recommended; may prefer soft to medium water. Can be grown in hardwater but requires substrate fertilization
Misc Notes: Initially confused with the completely unrelated Rotala verticillans - since thoroughly established as definitely not R. verticillans
Emersed: Suitable for plaudariums and Wabi Kusa - will grow fairly short and produce quite interesting flowers.
Description
Pogostemon erectus is a very striking plant with conifer-like leaves that almost looks like a Christmas tree in your fish tank. Originally collected from Maharashtra State in western India, this plant, though fairly new to the hobby, has become explosively popular in Europe and North America for it's distinctive appearance, brilliant green coloration even in high light, and predictable upright growth habit. It was previously confused with Rotala verticillans due to the similarities in their emersed forms but the two are quite distinct plants when emersed.
Relative to it's cousin, Pogostemnon stellatus, this plant is somewhat narrower with more "spikey" looking leaves. It is suitable for the background, though (like virtually every stem plan) it will stay quite a bit shorter with intense lighting making it suitable for the midground or even foreground in high-tech tanks. It's quite a strking plant and makes for a great focal point in an aquascape.
Pogostemnon erectus looks best when it is frequently timmed as it encourages bushy growth. After trimming, buds will form near the cut point and many different shoots will emerge where only one used to be. For that reason, it's quite easy to cultivate this plant into a thick and lush bush that is an absolute sight to behold. It's a fantastic addition to tanks with red plants as its particular shade of green makes for quite a dramatic contrast and can really help make your aquarium that much more colorful!
There's some evidence to suggest that this plant does not like very hard water though it's found in the wild in brackish habitats which suggests that it's quite adaptable and will get used to most water conditions. Nonetheless, it is easiest to grow this plant in moderate to soft water (most municipal tap water supplies work well).
Pogostemnon erectus is a prodigious root feeder - like all aquatic plants, it's capable of extracting nutrients from the water column but does much prefer to get nutrients from the substrate. For that reason, we recommend using a fertile substrate or supplementing with root tabs. This plant really comes alive when it's in rich "soil" which can help it adapt and thrive even in non-ideal situations such as very hard water.
Though not absolutely necessary, CO2 supplementation is highly recommended to get the most out of this plant. Like all plants, aquatic and terrestrial, a lack of CO2 relative to oxygen can be detrimental. Moderate to strong lighting is also recommended. The stronger the lighting, the denser this plant grows. It will also stay quite short when brightly lit. Pogostemnon erectus can definitely be grown in low tech tanks - particularly Walstad type setups with very rich substrate which can make up for at or least mitigate some of the issues associated with low CO2.
Like virtually all plants in our catalogue - Pogostemnon erectus can be grown emersed in paludariums and vivariums. It will adopt a much more compact growth form closer to the ground and produce quite elaborate flowers.
