Pogostemon stellatus 'broad leaf'

The person I got it from never had time to set up and make a place for it. So, it's dropped most of its leaves and begun to die back from being under low light and stuck in its rock wool. So far I added  root tabs, and liquid ferts. With high CO2 and light I guess the plant can look like this.

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Right now it's looking like this....

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Lol, pray for the beautiful plant!  If anybody has experience with this plant please chime in. I'm doing research through the Internet but personal experience is appreciated.

be sure to post the update picture when it makes it's recovery. It's like a rags to riches story

@ Cory, definitely.

@ KaraWolf, your funny

I know it's only been 5 days but this plant is totally bouncing back. The leaves that where withering are now at full display and vibrant , new starts are appearing at the stem sections and roots are forming along the stem.

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Without realizing it at the time, I picked up the same species at Aquarium Co-Op a couple days earlier but is the narrow leaf equivalent (AKA octopus). This plant was all green in color when I picked it up but is turning a pinkish/purple at the top and growing like a weed under Finnex Ray2 lighting, injected CO2 & array of liquid ferts.
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I have some Pogostemon stellatus 'octopus' that I got from a GSAS meeting. Once that stuff is established it really takes off and starts looking good. Great work with yours!

Thanks bronzefighter, from pictures I've seen it will make a nice bushy background plant. It should all fill in as more stems reach the top. I got lucky and purchased these plants with large roots instead of starting with just a stem so these plants are already rocking!

 .oO More progress, this broad leaf Pogostemon stellatus is bouncing back! new growth everywhere, nice healthy roots along the stem. Another month I should be able to clip and plant new starts.

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Looking awesome!

Chiisai wrote:Looking awesome!

Thank you! This plant is still just a shadow of what it once was. The end result should be a full wall of 2' X 2' plant.


I may invest in another LED light and place it right above this plant to pull out the reds that this plant potentially can become. So I am going back and forth with either Finnex Ray2 or the Fuge ray planted + . In my other tanks the Fuge Ray Planted + is doing awesome pulling out colors out of plants and getting great growth. However this tank is 2' deep but I don't think I need the added penetration the Ray2 provides since I already have two Ray2 fixtures on this tank. Once the background plants reach half way up, I think the Fuge Ray Planted will be more than enough + provide all the spectrums needed to enhance colors.

Choices, choices....

Update: Plants doing great. Lots of new growth, especially toward the base of the plant (must look through lace plant) there are new tops with 3-4" leaves. Beautiful red to yellowish leaves. 

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Which light did you buy?

fishloverRon wrote:Which light did you buy?

I went with the FUGERAY planted + so directly above this plant is a 4' Finnex RAY2 and a 4' FUGERAY planted + .

Nice! I bought 2 - 24" planteds from Cory at my last swap meet. Love 'em!

fishloverRon wrote:Nice!  I bought 2 - 24" planteds from Cory at my last swap meet.  Love 'em!

I like them too. Best investment I've made with lighting. I'm getting the best colors out of plants, great growth and saving a noticeable amount of $$$ on my power bill now that all my tank lighting is LED.

now people are starting to realize i was right the whole time.... hahaha kidding, but seriously, finnex's leds are off chain, baby. i have a ray2 and a monster ray on a 20 gallon, and even without the extras like co2 and special ferts, plants do very well under them. i only use flourish, but i also don't gravel vac, so maybe my plants are getting some ferts from the roots by now, after about 6 months of not vaccing

i have had similar experience with a pogostemon species, where they were almost completely melted but the stems started to put off new shoots. they seem just too sensitive for me, i like more hardy plants, but yours is looking great so far. good luck

LuminousAphid wrote:now people are starting to realize i was right the whole time.... hahaha kidding, but seriously, finnex's leds are off chain, baby. i have a ray2 and a monster ray on a 20 gallon, and even without the extras like co2 and special ferts, plants do very well under them. i only use flourish, but i also don't gravel vac, so maybe my plants are getting some ferts from the roots by now, after about 6 months of not vaccing

i have had similar experience with a pogostemon species, where they were almost completely melted but the stems started to put off new shoots. they seem just too sensitive for me, i like more hardy plants, but yours is looking great so far. good luck

1st thank you

2nd, I too believe that after a while without gravel vacuuming the decomposing debris add to the ecosystem by providing micro nutriances. This could be potentially toxic in a non planted tank raising nitrate levels. But our plants consume these.

3. I have begun to move away a bit from common easy to grow plants and moving toward these type plants. Im finding not so common crypts, different stem plants where colors can be manipulated to deep tone reds and pinks. And other stuff too. What's nice is not all of the plants i am finding are super expensive. I am getting them for decent prices and many for free with our trade programs, swap meets, and personal trades with other members. Its awesome!