Echinodorus Jungle Star

Echinodorus “Jungle Star” is the collective name for a series of artificially bred varieties of Echinodorus that appeared in Germany in the 1990s thanks to the efforts of Julius Hoechstetter. As a rule, they are sold under the original German name Echinodorus “Dschungelstar”. Each variety is assigned a serial number, for example, No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 – No. 16.

The plant is a bush of leaves collected in a rosette. Depending on the specific variety, the color, shape and size of the leaf blade will differ. Echinodorus “Dschungelstar” No. 1 (first image) is characterized by a large bush up to half a meter high, narrow linear leaves up to 30 cm with petioles of almost the same length. The color is dark red or purple.

Echinodorus ‘Dschungelstar’ No. 2 (second image), also known as Echinodorus ‘Little Bear’, has relatively small leaves up to 20 cm long and a short petiole up to 5 cm. The leaf blade is oval, rusty red to dark green. Each bush can contain up to 50 leaves. Unlike other plants in this series, it is able to grow in very hard water and is not attractive to herbivorous fish, so it can be used in aquariums with cichlids from Malawi and Tanganyika.

Echinodorus “Dschungelstar” No. 3 (third image) forms low bushes up to only 20 cm in height. The leaves are narrow-elliptical, 10-15 cm long and not more than 3 cm wide. The color is olive-green with dark red oblong spots that appear on the side oriented towards the light.

Echinodorus “Star of the Jungle” is considered quite hardy and does not require increased attention of the aquarist. They say about such plants “Planted and forgotten.” Prefers soft nutrient soil, good light levels, warm, soft, slightly acidic water, although it can grow at higher pH and dGH.