Long narrow leaves in loose whorls that curl outward like tentacles — hence the nickname. A close relative of the star pogostemon, and far simpler to grow.
- Light
- medium
- Difficulty
- easy
Native rangeRange on the map
- Assam
- Bangladesh
- China South-Central
- India
- Myanmar
Tank conditions
- Leaf colour
- green
- Plant type
- stem plant
- Growth rate
- very fast
- Tolerates light
- medium – high
- Carbonate hardness
- 1 – 18 °dKH
- Placement
- background, midground
- Propagation
- cuttings
- Grows emersed
- yes
Care and keeping
Appearance
Narrow leaves in whorls of four along an upright stem, mid green, with the tips bending outward. In a group the outline is soft and slightly wild rather than neat.
Keeping
Easy and very fast: it grows strongly over a wide range of conditions, needs no carbon dioxide and asks only for medium light. Regular trimming keeps it tidy — replanted tops grow quickly, while side shoots start slower, which makes them handier in a small tank.
Placement
The middle or back of the tank, in a group. It fills space quickly in a new setup.
Propagation
By cuttings: replant the tops or the side shoots.
Scientific and other names, conservation status
- Other scientific names
- Dysophylla quadrifolia Benth., Eusteralis quadrifolia (Benth.) Panigrahi, Anuragia quadrifolia, Chotekia sericea, Dysophylla quadrifolia, Dysophylla quadrifolia linearis, Dysophylla quadrifolia pubescens, Dysophylla quadrifolia velutina, Dysophylla rupestris, Dysophylla stellata roxburgiana, Dysophylla stellata roxburghiana, Dysophylla velutina, Eusteralis malabarica, Eusteralis quadrifolia, Eusteralis stellata roxburghiana, Mentha quadrifolia, Mentha stellata, Pogostemon stellatus roxburgianus
- Pogostemon quadrifolius
- (Bentham) Kuntze
- Family
- Lamiaceae