Supreme Perlite – Horticultural Perlite 4 cu ft (113 L)

Supreme Perlite is a lightweight, expanded volcanic mineral that improves drainage, aeration, and root development in potting mixes and growing media. Its porous structure helps maintain air spaces around plant roots while allowing excess water to drain, reducing the risk of waterlogged conditions.

Ideal for indoor plants, hydroponics, seed starting, propagation, succulents, and container gardening, perlite is an essential ingredient in many professional and homemade growing media. It can be blended with peat moss, coco coir, compost, soil, and other amendments to create a growing environment suited to a wide variety of plants.

Features & Benefits

• Excellent Drainage: Improves water movement through growing media, helping prevent excessively wet root conditions.

• Improved Root Aeration: Creates air spaces in potting mixes, supporting oxygen availability and healthy root development.

• Lightweight & Porous: Adds structure and drainage without significantly increasing container weight.

• Reduces Compaction: Helps maintain a loose, well-aerated growing medium over time.

• Some Moisture Retention: Holds a small amount of water on its surface and within its porous structure while allowing excess water to drain.

• Naturally Derived: Produced by heating volcanic glass until it expands into lightweight, porous particles.

• Chemically Stable: Generally pH-neutral and does not readily decompose or release significant quantities of plant nutrients.

• Versatile Applications: Suitable for houseplants, hydroponics, propagation, seed starting, vegetable gardens, and custom soil blends.

Recommended Horticultural Uses

Potting Mixes & Houseplants

Blend perlite with peat moss, coco coir, compost, or other growing media to improve drainage and aeration. Especially useful for tropical houseplants, aroids, philodendrons, monsteras, pothos, ficus, and other container-grown plants that benefit from well-aerated roots.

Cacti & Succulents

Perlite is a popular addition to cactus and succulent potting mixes because it improves drainage and reduces the amount of water retained in the root zone. Combine it with suitable coarse mineral amendments and organic components to create a fast-draining growing medium.

Propagation & Rooting Cuttings

Perlite is widely used for rooting plant cuttings because it provides excellent aeration while maintaining some moisture around developing roots. It can be used alone or blended with vermiculite, peat moss, or coco coir to adjust moisture retention.

Seed Starting & Seedling Production

Incorporate perlite into seed-starting mixes to maintain a lightweight, well-aerated growing environment. Improved drainage helps reduce overly saturated conditions that can negatively affect developing seedlings.

Hydroponics & Soilless Growing

Perlite can be used as a component of hydroponic and soilless growing systems. Its lightweight, porous structure provides root support and aeration while allowing nutrient solution to move through the growing medium.

It is commonly blended with coco coir or peat-based substrates and can also be used in suitable passive hydroponic and container growing applications.

Orchids & Epiphytic Plants

Perlite can be added to orchid and epiphytic plant mixes to improve aeration and drainage. Combine it with orchid bark, sphagnum moss, charcoal, or other suitable materials according to the moisture requirements of the plant.

Vegetable Gardens & Raised Beds

Mix perlite into garden soil or raised-bed growing media to improve drainage and reduce compaction. Particularly beneficial for dense or poorly aerated container mixes and raised beds where root-zone oxygen availability is important.

Greenhouse & Nursery Production

Perlite is extensively used in commercial horticulture, greenhouse substrates, and nursery production because it provides consistent drainage and aeration while keeping growing media lightweight.

Perlite vs. Vermiculite: What's the Difference?

Both perlite and vermiculite are lightweight mineral amendments commonly used in horticulture, but they serve different purposes.

• Perlite: Primarily improves drainage, aeration, and air-filled porosity. Ideal for plants requiring well-drained growing conditions.

• Vermiculite: Retains more water and helps hold plant nutrients, making it useful for seed starting, moisture-loving plants, and propagation.

• Using Both Together: Combining perlite and vermiculite can help balance drainage, aeration, and moisture retention in custom growing media.

How to Use Perlite

For Potting Mixes: Start with approximately 30% perlite by volume, adjusting the proportion according to the plant's drainage and aeration requirements.

For Cacti & Succulents: Incorporate approximately 20–50% perlite into an appropriate potting mix, depending on the other ingredients, container type, and growing conditions.

For Propagation: Use perlite alone or blend it with coco coir, peat moss, or vermiculite. Keep the medium appropriately moist without allowing it to become waterlogged.

For Seed Starting: Mix approximately 10–25% perlite into seed-starting media to improve drainage and maintain air spaces around developing roots.

For Hydroponics: Use as a component of a suitable soilless substrate or growing system. Provide a balanced nutrient solution, as perlite itself does not supply meaningful plant nutrition.

Note: Perlite can create fine airborne dust when handled dry. Lightly dampen the material before mixing, avoid breathing dust, and use appropriate respiratory protection when necessary.

Additional Applications

Beyond horticulture, expanded perlite is also used in various industrial and construction applications, including lightweight aggregates, insulation materials, and specialized filtration products. Requirements vary by application, and horticultural perlite should not automatically be assumed suitable for every industrial use.

Product Specifications

• Brand: Supreme

• Product: Expanded Horticultural Perlite

• Volume: 4 cubic feet (approximately 113 litres)

• Material: Heat-expanded natural volcanic glass

• Primary Functions: Drainage improvement, root aeration, and growing media conditioning

• Suitable For: Houseplants, hydroponics, potting mixes, cacti, succulents, orchids, propagation, seed starting, greenhouse growing, and container gardening

Supreme Perlite 4 cu ft is a versatile growing-media amendment for home gardeners, hydroponic growers, nurseries, and horticultural professionals looking to improve drainage, aeration, and root-zone conditions.