Pogostemon helferi – Vitro Culture® Bag

🌿 Compact Thai Star Plant with Distinctive Curled Leaves

Pogostemon helferi, also known as "Downoi" (meaning "little star" in Thai), is a highly decorative foreground plant admired for its unique ruffled leaves and bright green coloration. This compact aquatic plant is native to Thailand and has become a favorite among aquascapers for its star-shaped appearance and vibrant presence in both high-tech and low-tech tanks.

Grown in a sterile 4-inch Vitro Culture® bag, this version offers clean, healthy plantlets that are completely free from snails, algae, and contaminants—perfect for shrimp tanks and sensitive aquariums.

✨ Key Features

• Scientific Name: Pogostemon helferi

• Common Name: Downoi, Thai Star Plant

• Growth Form: Low-growing rosette with curly, star-shaped leaves

• Coloration: Bright green, more vibrant under strong light

• Light Demand: Medium to high

• CO₂ Requirement: Recommended for compact and bushy growth

• Growth Rate: Medium

• Placement: Foreground to midground in nano or larger tanks

• Special Trait: Unique leaf curls create a visually striking effect

🌱 Optimal Growing Conditions

• Lighting: Moderate to high for best leaf curl and color

• Water Parameters: pH 6.0–7.5 | Temperature: 70–82°F (21–28°C)

• Flow: Moderate water movement preferred

• Nutrient Substrate: Required

• Can Be Grown Emersed: Yes

🧪 Vitro Culture® Advantages

• Sterile & Safe: Lab-grown in nutrient-rich gel, free of pests and algae

• Perfect for Sensitive Setups: Ideal for shrimp tanks and aquascapes with delicate livestock

• No Quarantine Needed: Clean and ready to plant after rinsing

• Efficient Coverage: Provides multiple plantlets for spreading across foreground zones

🌿 Aquascaping Benefits

• Adds vibrant green contrast and intricate texture to planted tanks

• Creates natural-looking low carpets or dense clusters

• Pairs beautifully with stones, wood, and mosses in nature-style layouts

• Excellent for nano tanks due to its slow spread and compact form

📦 What You’ll Receive

• One 4-inch Vitro Culture® bag of Pogostemon helferi

• Yield approx. 3-4 small plants

• Rinse thoroughly before introducing to your aquarium

⚠️ Disclaimer

Please rinse all tissue culture plants thoroughly to remove the gel before planting. Initial melting may occur during transition, but new growth will emerge with stable conditions and care.

 WHAT WE GUARANTEE

24 Hours Live Arrival Guarantee* - In a rare case of live stocks dead on arrival, we must be notified within 24 hours by the same day of delivery. Please take clear photos of the damaged product and send it to us within 24 hours.  Live Arrival Guarantee will be void after 24 hours of delivery. All replacements are considered final and we will not replace the replacement.

1. Picture requirements: Take at least 2 clear photos of damaged product in their original, unopened & sealed transparent packing and send photos and orders information to our email within 24 hours: aquariumplantsfactory@gmail.com 
2. Please do not take picture of damaged plants, or animals in your aquarium. Once they have been introduced to your aquarium's ecosystem. It is no longer covered by our guarantee.

Please be aware that our Live Arrival Guarantee is subject to certain conditions. Specifically, the guarantee will not be applicable in cases where the package is marked as 'invalid address', 'undeliverable' or is 'returned to sender.' This includes situations such as a vacant delivery address, a missing apartment number, or any other issues that prevent the postal service from delivering your package.

It is crucial to provide accurate and complete shipping information to ensure the successful delivery of your order and the applicability of the Live Arrival Guarantee.

Please keep in mind that Live Arrival Guarantee only guarantees that live stocks will be alive upon arrival. We cannot guarantee that you will continue to have success with them. Many factors, including the aquarium environment, water quality, nutrient, temperature, lighting, filter, and CO2 system, can contribute to the failure to grow live plants and live animals.

WHAT WE CAN'T GUARANTEE

Even though our plants are very clean, but we can't guarantee they will be 100% pest-free because we cannot be responsible for your aquarium. Please use it at your own risk. We recommended all customers rinse the plants with clean water and quarantine them before use.

However, plants in tissue culture will be 100% free from pests, algae and never have been contacting with any aquarium.

1. Due to the nature of the product. We don't guarantee our plants will be pests free. ( snails, algae, hitchhikers )
2. We don't guarantee our plants will be free of pesticides. We use homemade, organic pesticides in our greenhouse to control pests. We do not use pesticides that contain copper. Copper is toxic to invertebrates such as aquatic snails, crabs, shrimps, etc
3. We don't guarantee your aquarium success or are responsible for your aquarium inhabitant including but not limited to fish, shrimp, snail, turtle, etc. So please quarantine all plants when use!
4. Unless specific, we don't guarantee aquatic plants will be grow emerged or submerge.

Please review your state's regulations on restricted plants, as we are committed to not shipping plants that are restricted in your area. Do not release any plants into the wild or waterways, as this can harm local ecosystems by introducing invasive species.

Your cooperation in protecting the environment is appreciated. For continuously updated information, refer to the USDA State Noxious Weed list here.

Thank you for your responsible commitment to environmental preservation.