Tropica Pogostemon Erectus

Pogostemon erectus is a compact, upright stem plant from India, producing whorls of fine, bright-green, needle-like leaves at each node in a distinctive arrangement that — when trimmed regularly — creates the characteristic bushy, Christmas-tree profile of densely packed emerald-green whorls along each stem.

In the aquarium, a well-maintained grouping of Pogostemon erectus creates one of the most visually striking fine-textured backgrounds available. The bright, saturated green color combined with the precise, structured whorled arrangement creates a remarkably clean and decorative appearance. Under strong light and CO2, the plant grows compact and dense; without these, it becomes leggy with fewer leaves per node.

This species is suitable for the mid to background of planted aquariums. It grows upright to 20–40 cm in height and benefits from regular trimming and replanting of tops to maintain a dense, multi-stemmed grouping. Without regular maintenance, the lower stems become bare and the plant loses its compact, tree-like form.

Tropica produces high-quality Pogostemon erectus tissue culture plants for clean, algae-free introduction.

Light: Medium to high light (25–60+ PAR). Low light produces leggy, sparse whorls. Good light is needed for the dense, compact, Christmas-tree form.

CO2: CO2 injection (15–25 mg/L) strongly recommended for compact, vivid growth. Without CO2, the plant is leggy and sparse.

Nutrients: Regular liquid fertilization with comprehensive NPK and micro nutrients. Iron supplementation enhances bright green coloration.

Placement: Mid to background stem plant. Groups of 5–10 stems for impressive visual impact. Trim tops regularly (every 2–3 weeks) and replant.

Maintenance: Regular trimming essential to maintain compact, bushy form. Replant trimmed tops. Remove bare lower stems.

Water Parameters: pH 6.0–7.5, temperature 20–28°C.