Question
QUESTION: Howdy Jeff and Jacob

Aside from Miracle Grow products, have you ever heard that perlite can be toxic to CP's! i.e  fluoride.

I have never heard of that before, and wondering if this was fact or an urban legion.

Again, thank you for your expert help!

ANSWER: Hi John,

I've heard this before too, but have never seen anything to substantiate it.  It might be worth doing a web search to see if any of the rock sources companies use to make perlite have fluoride minerals.  All of our perlite in the Northwest comes from Supreme Perlite in Portland, and is 100% silica.  It's possible that vermiculite contains more mineral impurities, but that's a different product, and the only place we recommend it's use is Mexican butterworts.  They are used to a higher mineral content anyway, considering many of them grow in pure gypsum.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com

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QUESTION: Thank you, I will look into it.
That is reassuring. After years of using it, you have never lost any plants to the dreaded breakdown of perlite and the toxic release of fluoride gas that has wiped out your nursery!  ;-)

Again, thank you!

Answer
Hi John,

Nope, sure haven't.  I did run across this article:  http://www.schundler.com/florides2.htm  Here's where our perlite comes from:  http://www.perlite.com/index.html  Here's where perlite in your area most likely comes from:  http://www.thermorock.com/index.htm

Based on this there may be some concern, but because of how wet carnivorous plants are kept, it looks like the risk is very minimal, and a good rinsing would solve the problem.  The stuff floating around the internet on perlite releasing fluorine gas is a bit nutty considering fluorine is so reactive it would instantly recombine with other elements.

Good Growing!

Jeff Dallas
Sarracenia Northwest
http://www.cobraplant.com