Unconventional and uneconomical soil components

[dr.tenebris]

I saw you can buy this desert sand too, I am a little fascinated myself. Succulents grow great in larger grain sand so it may be a great topping. I would definitely taste for salt content first

I wouldn't recommend that! Lol if it comes from the desert I'm thinking of the sand is incredibly fine! Not coarse at all, and certainly not salty (I would know as a kid we would take sleds out there and sled down the sand dunes, it gets everywhere! Occasionally in your mouth, and.. well tastes like sand not very nice lmao

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Honestly, I think gypsum sand would be harmful to any species of plant not adapted to growing on gypsum sand. It is a "narrow" ecological community. But if that is the ecosystem you can collect from for your bonsai, go for it.

A bonsai pot with silica sand would be suitable for a much wider array of plant species, if you can get the watering frequently right for the species. Silica sand will have a neutral to slightly acidic pH, and because silica is inert, your irrigation water pH will be the strongest influence on pH in the pot.