Pile of expanded clay pebbles on a white background

Glass jar with cork lid filled with expanded clay pebbles on a white background

Brown expanded clay pebbles on a white background

Brown paper bag with a pile of brown expanded clay pebbles on a white background

Clear glass jar with cork lid containing expanded clay pebbles on a white background

Expanded Clay Pebbles

Expanded Clay Pebbles are coarse fired-clay balls for spacing, drainage support and hydroponic setups. Rinse before use and remember they contain no nutrition on their own.

Read full guide to Expanded Clay Pebbles

€6,25

VAT included · plus

Choose a size

1l3l

Variant

Sizes are approximate. Height is measured from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant; diameter at the widest point.

4.6/5 store rating · 20,000+ customers served

Hand-checked before shipping

28-day plant guarantee

Tracked shipping

Expanded Clay Pebbles – fired clay structure for reservoirs and spacing

Expanded Clay Pebbles create a durable, airy physical medium. They are especially helpful where the root zone needs a stable inert support rather than organic soil.

Watering behaviour

Coarse clay: fired balls keep their shape
Reservoir use: works in hydro and semi-hydro systems with suitable feeding
Cachepot spacing: can lift nursery pots away from standing water
No nutrients: plants still need an appropriate fertilising routine

Using it day to day

In hydroponic growing, roots need access to both oxygen and nutrient solution. In cachepots, a shallow pebble layer can help keep a nursery pot above accidental water, but it does not correct overwatering inside the pot.

What changes in the pot

Clay pebbles do not feed plants. Use a suitable nutrient routine for reservoir systems and keep organic-soil plants in an appropriate potting mix unless they have been adapted to a different setup.

How to use Expanded Clay Pebbles

Semi-hydro: Use with a reservoir-style pot for inert-substrate setups.
Rinse first: Rinse until water runs clear to remove dust and fines.
Re-use: Can be cleaned and re-used after a soak and thorough rinse.

Prep and handling for Expanded Clay Pebbles

Rinse: A quick rinse removes fines so water moves evenly through the mix.

Expanded Clay Pebbles

€6,25

Coarse Expanded Clay Pebbles FAQs

What are coarse expanded clay pebbles used for?

They are useful for terrarium false bottoms, cachepot spacing, decorative layers, large semi-hydro setups and coarse structure in some custom uses.

Are clay pebbles good for small cuttings?

Usually not. The particle size is large, so small cuttings and fine roots may not get enough contact.

Should I rinse expanded clay pebbles before use?

Yes. Rinse well to remove dust, and soak first if using them in a semi-hydro setup.

LECA, pumice, Mapito, perlite, Pon, vermiculite, zeolite, Seramis and lava rock

Plant Care

The Science and Art of Non-Organic Plant Substrates for Semi-Hydroponic Systems

Hands holding the roots of a Philodendron melanochrysum above pots and substrate

Plant Care

Repotting Houseplants: Signs, Pot Size, Soil Mix and Aftercare

Experience you can count on

More than 20,000 customers, rated 4.6 out of 5 stars.

Quality first

Plants are hand-selected and checked before shipping.

Reliable shipping

Safe packaging and tracked shipping from DE and NL.

Small business

Support a small, independent, women-led family business.

Row of various potted baby plants (starter plants) on a white background

Shop Baby Plants ➜

Our Customers

rate us with 4.6 out of 5 Stars

★★★★★

Die Pflanzen waren prima verpackt und ein heatpack war im Paket enthalten. Die Lieferzeit hat 2 bis 3 Tagen gedauert, was aus meiner Sicht wirklich gut ist. Alle drei Pflanzen haben die Lieferung gut überstanden. Ich habe mich auf Hoyas spezialisiert und habe schon die nächsten Pflanzen meiner Wunschliste auf der Website gefunden. Daher wird die nächste Bestellung nicht lange auf sich warten lassen.

Marion

★★★★★

The plants are carefully packaged and arrive in great conditions (I’m based in Spain) and they’re always there to help in any way they can with your purchase.I have and will always recommend Foliage Factory to every friend I can. I’m not only satisfied with their plants and prices, but their customer service is exceptional.

José

★★★★☆

Very healthy and well packed plant. Unfortunately there was one plant that ordered couldn’t be delivered as it was out of stock hence 1 star less.

Sam

★★★★☆

Die Sendung kam leider in keinem guten Zustand bei mir an, kann passieren. Habe mich darauf hin sofort an Foliage Factory gewandt und habe selten einen so guten, schnellen, freundlichen und kulanten Kundendienst erlebt.

Frauke

★★★★★

Everything arrived in good condition and very well packed - it wasn't easy with a fragile plant and a heavy bag of substrate. I recommend it!

Lia

★★★★★

Bester online-Pflanzenhandel den ich kenne (habe davor 4 andere ausprobiert). Eine teure Pflanze wurde beim Transport beschädigt und mir ersetzt. Der Kontakt dabei war auch sehr nett (danke Jan) und hat mir gut geholfen. Die anderen Pflanzen sind in einem sehr guten Zustand, keine Schädlinge, super Bewurzelung. Nur zu empfehlen! :)

C L

★★★★★

Super Service, Gute Auswahl, Preise sind fair. Eine Pflanze kam kaputt an, hab sofort Ersatz bekommen. Danke an den unkomplizierten (und blitzschnellen) Kundenservice!!

Sarah

★★★★★

Envoie très rapide (2 jours), plantes parfaitement emballées et super offres ! Je suis une habituelle j'ai passé 6 ou 7 commandes et je n'en peut être plus satisfaite du service client et de la qualité et variété des plantes offertes

Iris

★★★★★

The plants have arrived in perfect condition, the roots and the foliage so so healthy! I had problem with 1 plant out of 16 and they have responded to my email almost instantly and the issue was resolved straight away. I'm really impressed and satisfied, definitely getting more plants from them again!

Patricija

★★★★★

I received perfectly heathy and absolutely beautiful plants, even bigger than expected. The delivery within Europe was really fast. I think Foliage Factory has one of the best plant web shops in the internet. It‘s just great to get so much informations about the plants. I will definitely order again :)

Walkerova