Pogostemon stellatus/Eusteralis (Pogostemon stellatus)

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A strikingly beautiful plant that can be very difficult to grow properly.
Pogostemon stellatus formally known as Eusteralis stellata is a very difficult plant for the beginner or even an intermediate grower. it prefers an acidic substrate such as Flora Base, Aqua soil, it will also do well in Eco Complete, Flourite and sand as long as the addition of peat is introduced underneath the main substrate, (Low KH/4 or less & GH/5 or less)

Lighting needs to be within the 3wpg range.
CO2 injection is a necessity, 24/7 managed and regulated for best results, a mist of C02 is recommended.
Fertilization should be diligent, NPK, TE and Fe.

The bio-filtration also plays an important role in the overall success of growing this plant. filter needs to be large enough to produce good flow and house adequate media.

A very stunning plant when grown to its glory in the aquarium.

Propagation is easy for a healthy plant, it will scarcely produced new shoots along the stem, most of the extra stems/shoots will grow from the crown, giving the crown a stunted look for a short period of time.

Complexity

Absolutely requires high light, but if you give it what it needs, it's a beautiful and fast grower.

I received cuttings which I put in my 75g tank with only half of my lights turned on, giving it only 1.44wpg. Even with injected CO2 with a pH controller and diligent IE ferts, it only declined. I added Flourish Root Tabs, but no change. Then I lost power for a week from hurricane Ike, and I was left with bare stems.

I received new cuttings, and this time I increased my lighting to 2.88wpg. The new cuttings took off immediately, growing 1"-2" a day! The old, bare stems of my first cuttings are sending out new shoots which I will later harvest and plant.

If you have enough light to grow this one, I highly recommend it. The stems grow straight up with a perfect circular leaf arrangement. Mine have some pink color, but I've read that it colors up even more with low nitrates.

mdfa.ca

I am surprised to hear this is a hard to grow plant. In my experience the light is really the main factor controlling how well this plant does. I've put my two cuttings into a 10 Gal already filled with other plants. DIY CO2, very irregular and not controlled/measured. Inconsistent at best. The only fertilization I had were root tabs.

The one shoot shot to the sky within a week and in a month, it was a monster. Lovely, pinkish color at the top, almost 5" spread, and it basically grew to the top of the water column and then spread out shutting down light to other plants and stunting them, including its little sibling - the second cutting. This was grown in white pool filter sand.

I pulled it out and put it in 20 Gal. Same conditions though slightly more acidic (black water extract) and in Fluorite substrate. Within a couple of weeks it grew too large for this one as well, so I cut it in half and planted the top portion again. Roots are already starting a couple of days later.

The second cutting from the original aquarium is already showing lots of new growth now that it has lots of light.

I absolutely LOVE this plant.

dutchy

Why high light? I'm growing this plant at 1.35 WPG with CO2.