Pogostemon erectus
Pogostemon erectus
Also known asPogostemon deccanensis (alternate ID) · Eusteralis sp. (old name)
Water parameters
Light and nutrients
Substrate type: any. Propagation: stem cuttings.
Substrate compatibility
| Substrate | pH effect | Nutrient load |
|---|---|---|
| Inert sand (Pool filter sand) | neutral / inert | none |
| Inert gravel (Aquarium gravel) | neutral / inert | none |
| Aquasoil (ADA Amazonia) | lowers pH | very high |
| Mineralized clay substrate (Seachem Fluorite) | neutral / inert | moderate |
| Dirted tank (mineralized topsoil) (DIY soil substrate) | slightly acidic | very high |
With fish
Origin and habitat
An upright, conifer-like stem plant of the mint family, Lamiaceae, sold as Pogostemon erectus. Its identity is debated: several authorities and growers identify the aquarium plant as Pogostemon deccanensis, and POWO recognises both P. erectus (Dalzell) Kuntze of western India and P. deccanensis of southern India as distinct species, so trade plants may be either. It is native to India, collected for the hobby in Maharashtra, in marshes, ditches and shallow water. The straight vertical stems carry dense whorls of fine, needle-like bright-green leaves, giving a striking miniature-cypress or pine look unlike any other common aquarium stem plant. The genus Pogostemon is large and mostly terrestrial, and includes P. cablin, the source of patchouli oil; only a few species, among them this one, P. helferi (downoi) and P. stellatus (octopus plant), are grown fully submerged.
Care notes
Moderate care. It needs medium to high light to keep the dense, compact, conifer-like form; in low light the lower whorls drop and the stem goes bare and leggy. CO2 is recommended though not mandatory, with 20 to 30 ppm keeping the whorls tight and green; without it growth slows and the lower parts thin faster. Plant stems singly or in small groups a few centimetres apart so each has room for its whorls, and trim the tops to control height, though it branches less readily than easier stems. Feed it well, especially nitrogen and iron, to keep the leaves dense, and the tips can take a yellow tinge under bright light with good nutrients. Keep it around 22–28°C in soft to moderately hard water. Its vertical, needle-leaved texture is a distinctive accent against round-leaved plants and mosses, best as a midground feature or a narrow background column. It is an ornamental, not a crop, so it is unsuited to media-bed aquaponics or hydroponics.