@Eric4home - I have had pretty good luck starting persian shield in pearlite. I use for it for pretty much all of the cuttings I start. Persian shield are slow, but they usually root up. I don't do a lot of them. I have two largish plants of it in pots, and then just take cuttings for some of my mixed containers.
I also use Pro Mix for most of my seeds. I mix in 30% pearlite when I need a coarser mix.
Loved the persian shield next to the giant limelight coleus last year
