# Propagating Pogostemon stellatus broad leaf



## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

For those that keep this how do you propagate it? I have had this for awhile now and it grows like crazy and the stems are about pencil diameter but whenever I trim the tops and leave the bottoms the bottom section never branches off like almost every other stem plant. 

I have had the narrow leaf version in the past and it would send off side shoots like mad and had a habit of certain stems stunting for no reason and producing several side shoots from that stem. I have read that the broad leaf variety produces very few side shoots until it reaches the waters surface. I always trim mine when they get within a few inches of the waters surface but was wondering if I should let them grow to the surface and see if it produces any side shoots. What is your experience with the plant and how do you propagate it? I would love to have more of it but no luck so far.


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## Cap10Squirty (Feb 2, 2014)

I am experiencing the same thing...except with Pogostemon "octopus"....a variation of stellatus. Although it is a really dense bush, whenever I hack it down it does what you have described...not acting like other stem plants..not every cut stem sends out new branches. I'd like to hear what others have to share.

On a side note, how well does your stellatus color near the surface? My "octopus" variety doesn't turn any bit of color even once it hits the surface. It is a real nice light green though.


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

Cap10Squirty said:


> I am experiencing the same thing...except with Pogostemon "octopus"....a variation of stellatus. Although it is a really dense bush, whenever I hack it down it does what you have described...not acting like other stem plants..not every cut stem sends out new branches. I'd like to hear what others have to share.
> 
> On a side note, how well does your stellatus color near the surface? My "octopus" variety doesn't turn any bit of color even once it hits the surface. It is a real nice light green though.


As far as I know Pogostemon octopus is just a light green variant of P. stellatus. I never had any problems with the narrow leaf P. stellatus at all. I actually only started with two stems of that and after a couple of months I had over two dozen stems. It would branch profusely and like I mentioned earlier some stems would stunt for no reason and when they did that they would branch off several side shoots from that stem. The broad leaf I have now grows really nice and is about 18" tall and I have cut it down to about 6" about 10 times now and left the bottom portion but it would never branch from the cut stem. Eventually the bottom portion would just turn black and rot away. The color is really nice when it gets close to the top of the tank. Here is a few pictures of the narrow leaf when I had it before it got choked out from the Hygrophilia next to it. I have some more coming and the Hygrophilia is now gone. 





Do you have any pictures of your P. octopus? I was going to get that some time ago but didn't think it would be much different than the P. stellatus I already had.


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## samee (Oct 14, 2011)

I used to have the stellatus, I think I had the regular one. Stellatus grew like a weed, I never had problems with propagation. Where ever I cut there used to be always 2 smaller stems coming out from there. I found it an undemanding plant in a high tech setup, almost a weed. So there is no trick to it. As soon as it got around 10", I would cut it half way. It didnt matter if the cut was under high light or in low light, there always used to be new stems coming fro the cuts. Perhaps yours need getting used to? Or you have another variety. 

Oh also the mother stem of my pogos when left untrimmed used to get really really wide. Like half an inch wide. If I have time tomorrow Ill try to post some screens if it helps.


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## ua hua (Oct 30, 2009)

samee said:


> I used to have the stellatus, I think I had the regular one. Stellatus grew like a weed, I never had problems with propagation. Where ever I cut there used to be always 2 smaller stems coming out from there. I found it an undemanding plant in a high tech setup, almost a weed. So there is no trick to it. As soon as it got around 10", I would cut it half way. It didnt matter if the cut was under high light or in low light, there always used to be new stems coming fro the cuts. Perhaps yours need getting used to? Or you have another variety.
> 
> Oh also the mother stem of my pogos when left untrimmed used to get really really wide. Like half an inch wide. If I have time tomorrow Ill try to post some screens if it helps.


You had the narrow leaf variety because I got some from you awhile ago. I never had any problem propagating that, its the broad leaf variety that is giving me fits. I can't get it to branch any side shoots. It grows really well and I have trimmed it several times just no propagation. I have 2 stems and would love to make this into a nice bunch but its hard when it won't branch.


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

I have had the broad leaf variant for about 4 years constant. Never had any problems getting it to send out side shoots. I usually get 4 out of the node just below the cut. No special care needed. Occasionally I will get a bottom stem that will melt instead of sending out side shoots, but its not a common occurrence.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Never had problems with propagating the narrow or broad leaf variants. They always branched profusely for me.


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