Styrofoam Peanuts

[Algyros]

Many orchid growers use styrofoam peanuts at the bottom of their pots for drainage. Are these the same peanuts that are sold and used for shipping packages, or are there special "horticultural" peanuts?

[FrankP999]

As far as I know there are no special horticultural peanuts. However, some firms are using a "green" peanut that will disolve or decompose in water. I would not use that kind.

Frank

[11Orchid126]

Ditton what FrankP999 says. Watch out for the ones made of cornstarch as they dissolve and create a mess. Orchids love the peanuts. Packing peanuts are also used in the medium to create more air pockets. Some growers use packing peanuts soley as their medium.

[Undergrounder]

Unfortunately here in Aus we don't get very good peanuts, and lots of people use the eco-friendly water-melting ones (shaped like a cylinder, squeeze easily) But i've gotten peanuts with my orchids from the US, and they're great. They're bright white, hard, and shaped like a knuckle bone. They're really good for using with orchids, and you can crush them into smaller bits if you want smaller pieces.