Pogostemon Helferi (Pogostemon helferi) Care Guide

A distinctive foreground plant with star-shaped rosettes of crinkled, zigzag-edged leaves. Thrives in nutrient-rich substrate with CO2 injection and develops runners to form dense clusters.

Overview

Pogostemon helferi is an aquatic plant in the family Lamiaceae. A distinctive foreground plant with star-shaped rosettes of crinkled, zigzag-edged leaves. Thrives in nutrient-rich substrate with CO2 injection and develops runners to form dense clusters.

Taxonomy

Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Pogostemon
Scientific name: Pogostemon helferi
Other names: Downoi, Little Star

Habitat

Native to Myanmar and western Thailand, with the type locality in the Sangkhla Buri district of Kanchanaburi Province. Inhabits seasonally flooded streams; wild populations have declined due to harvesting for the aquarium trade.

Growth requirements

Light: medium (≈50-80 PAR at substrate)
CO2: pressurised CO2 recommended
Temperature: 22-28 °C
pH: 6-7
GH: 3-10 °dGH
Substrate: nutrient-rich aquasoil or fertilised gravel
Nutrient demand: medium
Growth rate: slow
Difficulty: intermediate

Placement

Recommended placement: foreground
Maximum height: 10 cm
Trim every: 21 days

Propagation

In cultivation the plant is propagated by runners (daughter plants on horizontal stolons).