Yatabeanus Pogostemon

The stems are thick and robust, carrying whorls of narrow, pointed leaves that give Pogostemon yatabeanus a fuller appearance than the finer-leaved Pogostemon stellatus. It comes from East Asia — Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan — where it grows in marshes and along stream edges in both emersed and submerged forms.

In the aquarium it grows steadily upward and branches willingly when trimmed. Each cut stem produces two new shoots below the cut, so regular trimming quickly turns a single stem into a dense clump. It works well as a mid-to-background plant in groups of several stems.

The published information on cultivation requirements is sparse, but experience shows it does well in moderately lit tanks with regular nutrient dosing. A temperature range of 22 to 28 °C covers most community tanks. Soft to moderately hard water with slightly acidic to neutral pH keeps it growing steadily.

CO₂ injection improves growth rate and stem density but is not necessary. Without CO₂ the stems grow at a moderate pace and the leaves stay green rather than developing the reddish tint seen in high-light, high-CO₂ setups. Propagation is by cuttings: trim a stem, strip the lower whorls, and replant.