Is this perlite?

[Formaldehyde]

Hi, I live in Brazil and here we don't have perlite, at least it's not something you find everywhere.

Yesterday I was checking out the garden store when I saw this... I've never seen perlite in person, just in pictures. This looked a lot like it, so I thought maybe this could be perlite, just commercially available under a different name. Plus it was cheap, so I bought it.

On the bag it says it's good for drainage, among other things.

I read perlite is supposed to be lightweight, and this is kinda heavy. Sure, each grains is pretty light, but this bag is the size of a cushion/pillow and it weighs 10kgs/22lbs.

So, does this look like perlite to you? Or perhaps something similar and still usable?

Check out the large pictures to see the texture.

Thanks.

 

[Moppel]

when i saw the pictures i wanted to say yes. But this cant weigh 10 kilo's.

Now when i take a second look i see it says : Pedras decorativas. And that means stones for decoration, right?

 

[Formaldehyde]

Yes.

 

[Moppel]

so....

 

[Supacalabala]

Perlite is very light and can easily be crushed in your fingers. What you have is not perlite.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Yeah, I figured... thanks you two.

 

[rusto]

when perlite is crushed the dust can be toxic be careful

 

[stikky budz]

If it was perlite that bag would only weigh a couple of lb's..and the pieces would be a lot smaller i think.

It looks like that stuff you put on gravestones

 

[muddy waters]

no volcanoes in brazil = no perlite

you can get it imported if you're willing to buy a ton (literally).

 

[princessbaked]

you can still use those little stones put them at the bottom of your pots when you transplant ....it'll help with drainage.

use what you got thats what i say.

 

[R00KIE]

Nope not perlite....
Perlite is light as styrofoam pieces and is pourous...
It also crumble under a bit of pressure...

 

[TGT]

Like Princessbaked said, use it for drainage at the bottom of your pots. I have done this in my 5 gallon buckets. I placed rocks like that at the bottom about an inch thick to cover my driled holes. Then placed my soil over it and now when I water the plants don't go through that droopy stage right after watering. I guess previously the roots were staying to wet at the bottom of the pot and making my plants droop slightly after waterings. Not anymore. Even if you don't have this problem I'm sure it will allow the roots to breath better. Just felt I had to comment on that suggestion - good luck!

TGT