Pogostemon Stellata

[Daveslaney]

Absolutely loving this plant. Growing in quite well. But the growth seems a bit ununiform and a bit messy.
My question is how do you go about trimming it to make a more uniform and bushy appearance?
Do you just treat like any other stem and it will branch from the cuts?
Any advice would be appreciated.
I've added a couple of pics took with my phone.

 

[zozo]

It's quite a difficult plant to grow to it's full potential, hence it is categorized as advanced by Tropica.
https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Pogostemonstellata(053G)/4498

As described it needs ample light and CO².. I've grwon it in lower light with the aid of LC and it actualy never realy flourished and died after i stopped adding LC. But even with adding CO² it still is a rather demanding plant to grow realy bushy and without enough light it likely never realy will. What is enough light in terms of watt and lumen i realy can't say, personaly i yet never had enough of it to make it grow lush. Regarding PAR i guess it would be top range of medium towards a 100 par. And yes, cutting and replanting as other stem plants is the way to go.

On a side note.. Actualy if you have an open top tank, it's an interesting plant, i had it growing emersed is very easy, planted in the substrate 20cm deep water column. With simply not trimming the background stems, once these pop the surface than they readily transition to emersed form and grow very good in living room climate.. Can look realy stunning having both grow forms together.

 

[Daveslaney]

Thanks Marcel. Have it in a aquascaper 600. With Twinstar 600s light. So should be ok on the lighting front I would think?
I get near a 1 point PH drop in the photoperiod so think my co2 should be on point.
I will trim it down to one level and replant the tops. See how it goes.

 

[Tim Harrison]

I've grown it a couple of times high-energy and found it very easy; it's always stayed compact and green for me. I just trimmed it like any other stem.
Ironically, I'd have been happier if it'd grown like yours Dave
However, I've always grown it under moderate light intensity. Just out of interest what's the length of your photoperiod and light intensity?

 

[Daveslaney]

Thanks Tim.
I have a 8 hour photoperiod. Included in this the light ramps up from 0 to 100% over a 30 mins period and 100% to 0 over 30 mins on the way down.

 

[zozo]

Note: There are 2 types, narrow/common and broad leaf.. Maybe yu've seen a pic of this plant? Thinking i want that!?

https://www.flowgrow.de/db/aquaticplants/pogostemon-stellatus-broad-leaf

 

[Daveslaney]

I wouldn't mind at all if it grew like that. Outstanding.
I know there is the narrow and broad leaf types. I got the narrow leaf as my tank is only a 600.
Just wasn't sure how to trim it to make it bush out a bit more.

 

[Mick.Dk]

Trimming and needs for pog. stellata as per Marcel's instructions.
Jus for info: if you are after the appearance, not necessarily the actual plant, yoy could grow Limnophila hippuridoides instead. This plant will give you same appearance, but is a much less demanding plant to grow - making it much more likely to get the look you are after. Lim. hippuridoides is much more willing to grow new brances from cut stems, by the way.
- and your stellata look quite fine, actually...... ...

 

[Daveslaney]

Thanks Mick.
I grew Limnophila hippuridoides in a previous high tech tank and always found it to grow quite leggy to be honest and could never really figure out why.

 

[DutchMuch]

It's quite a difficult plant to grow to it's full potential, hence it is categorized as advanced by Tropica.
https://tropica.com/en/plants/plantdetails/Pogostemonstellata(053G)/4498

As described it needs ample light and CO².. I've grwon it in lower light with the aid of LC and it actualy never realy flourished and died after i stopped adding LC. But even with adding CO² it still is a rather demanding plant to grow realy bushy and without enough light it likely never realy will. What is enough light in terms of watt and lumen i realy can't say, personaly i yet never had enough of it to make it grow lush. Regarding PAR i guess it would be top range of medium towards a 100 par. And yes, cutting and replanting as other stem plants is the way to go.

On a side note.. Actualy if you have an open top tank, it's an interesting plant, i had it growing emersed is very easy, planted in the substrate 20cm deep water column. With simply not trimming the background stems, once these pop the surface than they readily transition to emersed form and grow very good in living room climate.. Can look realy stunning having both grow forms together.

This is all correct, ive been growing it for around 1/2 a year now

very demanding, but fun. Its not DELICATE to the point you aren't encouraged to grow it.

Mine, turns purple when it gets high enough, not even sure if its stellatus i think it may be stellatus Type 2 or Dassen. Never really got around to ID-ing it, same concepts in each of the plants though lol.

The plant can indeed be tamed, with most of my plants the first trim i make a stump, aka trim it about 2" tall.
Then let it grow for a long time, if it begins to go in places i do not want it, i simply imagine a Box, that i want it in, and anything out of the box i will cut.


Hope this helps <3 im running it under A LOT of light (talking 150+ par) and very high co2 levels with EI dosing.

Here are some older images i took of it,

 

[Oldguy]

Any advice would be appreciated

Found it to grow like a weed. Difficult to get to colour up as per Tropica & Marcel's pics. Will grow out of the water, through the surface and flower (small mauve flowers on a spike). I just pinch back to keep in check, tends to side shoot and not bunch. According to Tropica there are many varieties. My general feeling is lots of nutrients: macro, micro, trace & CO2. I am increasing light intensity to see if it colours up. Will grow low tech but with small green leaves and thin stems.

Yours looks fine.

 

[Siege]

Mine looked like the topica pic using Twinstar S. Loads of ferts and brand new soil with max co2.

Got too big and ‘heavy’ in aquascaper 600 though.

 

[ceg4048]

Just wasn't sure how to trim it to make it bush out a bit more.

If you do not keep this plant under control with frequent trimming you will rue the day you laid eyes on it, as it's a hooligan and will take over your tank via urban sprawl.

As Siege mentions, the plant is not a good choice for a smaller tank and it normally will show best colors only with high CO2 + strong lighting.

Here is a specimen in a large tank. the spread across is about 20cm in diameter:

Cheers,