Perlite is a naturally-occurring volcanic glass that has been puffed up from the high temperatures beneath the earth's crust, similar to the process of cooking popcorn. The expansion of the rock creates a soil amendment that is lightweight and porous, perfect for keeping soil from becoming compacted and providing air pockets for healthy root growth.
In addition to its use as a soil amendment, we've also found that perlite is great for propagation projects. Place your cuttings in a small glass vessel, fill it with perlite and add some water to the bottom of the jar. Through capillary action, water travels up to the upper layers of perlite, and the glass jar keeps the air humid around the cutting, mimicking the environment where many Aroids, Begonias, Hoyas, and other tropical plants grow.
Approximately 1 qt of perlite. Ships in a bag lined with PLA, a bioplastic made from corn.