It is an aquatic member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) that grows wild in seasonal swamps and marshes from the Indian subcontinent through Southeast Asia to northern Australia. Older books and labels call it Eusteralis stellata or Dysophylla stellata. Because it grows across such a wide range, wild plants vary a lot in leaf width and colour, and aquarists now grow several forms, including the narrow-leaf 'Octopus'.
What you will notice once it settles in underwater:
- Shape. Upright, unbranched stems ringed every few centimetres by whorls of slim, lightly toothed leaves, giving a soft, starburst look from above.
- Colour. Green in moderate light; pink, lilac or deep violet at the tips under strong light, with the upper leaves colouring first.
- Size. Each crown can spread 6–14 cm across, so a small group fills space quickly.
- Pace. Medium to fast once it has settled, but only when light, CO2 and nutrients are all in balance.
Where does it fit in an aquarium?
Its height and texture make it a background or tall mid-ground plant. Plant a group of five or more stems behind lower plants and it forms a soft, colourful screen that hides filter pipes and heaters.
- High-tech planted tanks and aquascapes. Its natural home: strong light, pressurised CO2 and a nutrient-rich soil substrate.
- Dutch-style and colour-focused layouts. A purple-pink contrast against green stem plants.
- Paludariums. It also grows above water in a bright, humid paludarium, though emersed leaves stay plain green.
It looks best with something calm in front of it. A clump of Java moss for the foreground softens rocks and wood while this plant carries the colour at the back. Both sit among our aquatic plants for freshwater aquascapes.
Can Pogostemon stellatus grow without CO2?
Rarely for long. In a low-light tank without CO2 it usually stops growing, sheds its lower leaves and thins out within a few weeks. Liquid carbon products help a little but do not replace gas injection. If your tank has a basic light and no CO2, Java moss is a far better first plant, and you can come back to this one when the setup grows.
Product Specifications
- Plant name: Pogostemon Stellatus
- Botanical name: Pogostemon stellatus (syn. Eusteralis stellata, Dysophylla stellata)
- Plant family: Lamiaceae (mint family)
- Native range: Indian subcontinent, East and Southeast Asia, New Guinea and northern Australia
- Plant type: Freshwater aquatic stem plant
- Supplied as: Emersed-grown plant, per the live listing
- Foliage: Slim, lightly toothed leaves in star-shaped whorls; green when emersed, pink to violet submerged in strong light
- Growth habit: Upright, mostly unbranched stems
- Mature height in a tank: About 15–60 cm
- Crown spread: About 6–14 cm
- Growth rate: Medium to fast in good conditions
- Suitable placement: Background or tall mid-ground of planted freshwater aquariums; bright, humid paludariums
- Not suitable for: Low-light tanks without CO2, nano tanks under about 40 cm tall, goldfish tanks, saltwater tanks
- Light requirement: High; 7–8 hours a day
- CO2: Required for good growth and colour
- Water requirement: Fully submerged in fresh water
- Water parameters: pH about 5–7 (6–7 ideal); soft to moderately hard
- Temperature: 22–28 °C ideal; tolerates about 15–32 °C
- Substrate: Nutrient-rich aqua soil, or inert gravel with root tabs
- Fertiliser: Complete liquid fertiliser with iron and micronutrients
- Maintenance: Replant tops every 3–4 weeks; weekly water change
- Propagation: Stem cuttings
- Difficulty level: Advanced
- Suitable environment: Indoor freshwater aquariums across India
- Tank safety: Safe for fish, shrimp and snails
How do you plant and care for it?
Planting.
- Rinse the stems in dechlorinated or old tank water and remove any packing material.
- Strip the leaves from the bottom 3–4 cm of each stem.
- Push each stem into the substrate with tweezers, 2–3 cm apart, so light reaches every crown.
Ongoing care.
- Light. High light, around 80–120 PAR at the substrate, on a 7–8 hour timer. Longer hours mostly feed algae.
- CO2. Around 20–30 mg/L, checked with a drop checker. Raise it slowly if you keep shrimp, as too much CO2 harms livestock.
- Nutrients. A rich aqua-soil or root tabs, plus a complete liquid fertiliser. Iron is the key: pale or whitish new leaves are the classic sign of iron or micronutrient shortage.
- Water. pH about 6–7 and soft to moderately hard water suits it best. Change 30–50% weekly in a high-tech tank.
- Trimming. Every 3–4 weeks, cut the healthy tops and replant them, then remove the old bases. It branches poorly, so replanting tops gives a fuller group than topping alone.
- Propagation. Every replanted top becomes a new plant and roots within one to two weeks.
What happens after it arrives?
This plant is grown emersed at the nursery, with its leaves in the air. Underwater it has to grow a new set of leaves, and that takes two to four weeks. During the change, some older aerial leaves often go soft or translucent and fall away. That is normal transition, not dying. Pick off melted leaves so they do not foul the water, keep light and CO2 steady, and look for slimmer new leaves at the tips. Colour follows once the submerged growth is established.
Aquarium stem plants through the Bengal year
These notes come from handling water plants in the humid Hooghly climate and apply to most of the eastern plains.
March to June: summer. Unheated tanks in many rooms climb past 30 °C. Warm water holds less CO2 and oxygen, so growth slows and stems may rot at the base. Keep the tank away from sunny windows, run the light during the cooler part of the day, and add surface movement after lights-out.
July to September: the monsoon. Comfortable water temperatures and the most reliable growth. This is the best season to plant new stems and to replant tops.
October to February: the cool season. Room tanks in eastern India stay mild, but growth slows below about 22 °C. A small heater keeps it moving, especially in north Indian winters.
Common problems and simple fixes
- Leaves melting after planting. Normal emersed-to-submerged change. Remove soft leaves and wait for new tips.
- Pale or white new leaves. Iron or micronutrient shortage. Add a complete fertiliser with iron.
- Growth suddenly stops. Usually unstable CO2 or a missing nutrient. Check the drop checker and dosing routine first.
- Bare lower stems. Lower leaves are shaded out over time. Replant the tops and discard the bases.
- Twisted, stunted tips. Often low calcium or magnesium in very soft water. A remineraliser or GH booster helps.
- Stays green. Not enough light or iron. Colour needs both.
Is it safe for fish and shrimp?
Yes. It is not harmful to fish, shrimp or snails, and most community fish leave it alone. Large goldfish and digging cichlids may uproot or nibble it, so it does best with small tropical fish. The main livestock risk is overdosed CO2, not the plant itself.
Bring a little green to the rest of the room
An aquarium often anchors the main seating area, and many of our interior plants for a living room with a fish tank need far less fuss than this one. A 2 layer lucky bamboo plant growing in clear water makes a neat partner on the stand beside the tank. For more ideas, browse our home decor plants that sit happily beside a planted tank.
A colour plant for aquarists ready for a challenge
Each order is packed moist at our nursery and sent out quickly, because water plants do not enjoy long journeys. Before you order, check the list of aquatic plants shipped to cities across India to see how long delivery takes to your PIN code.
There are no reviews yet.