Akadama

Akadama (Japanese赤 玉 土, Akadamatsuchi, dt " red - balls -to-earth " ) is a single-or multiple -dried pure mineral granulate without organic components. It is, inter alia, derived from volcanic ash from the Japanese Kanto region.

Akadama is weakly acidic, can save by its porosity by water and has the coarse grain high air permeability, there remains space between the aggregate particles. Akadama is available in two quality levels: " hard quality " (硬 质, Koshitsu ) and "high quality" (上 质, jōshitsu ). The former is used for bonsai and the latter for cut flowers.

A disadvantage of the use for bonsai that Akadama not fired, but only dried clay is and decays influence of frost on clay, which in turn is largely impermeable to water. This behavior can lead to damage of Bonsai or to fail, which is why professional bonsai designer to others - rely mineral substrates such as pumice, lava, zeolite, clay, broken bricks and similar granulates - frost-proof.