A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 question....

Hi everyone,
Has anyone ever gotten plants confiscated on the way into the U.S.A. (from a foreign country)?
The paperwork inside was from U.S. postal service and said I didn't submit a permit.....

Has anyone else ever experienced this issue? My hubby thinks I'm now flagged...with the U.S. postal Service as it was intercepted @ JFK in New York

Thanks,
to all of you knowledgeable ones out there,

Hi Charlie,

It were plants they confiscated, not seeds?
I know you are forbidden to sent plants (and seeds) with dirt on them to a foreign country!

Paulien

yeap the orchids Nor sent me recently were confiscated and burned. Grrrrrh and no dirt on them. The paper I got said that we were in violation of some code. I have no idea which one. And yes I'm sure that packages comming to me from outside the U.S. will probably be probed with special care from now on. Well it was nice while it lasted lol.

I had US Customs confiscate and burn some seeds and bulblets that were coming to me from Canada. Like you guys previously mentioned, they stated that it was lacking some permit. Personally, I don't know how they could "flag" you, the US sends out so many (probably) millions of letters a day, I think it would be hard to specifically pick out a few individuals. In addition to cross-reference to your name, they'd also have to link it to your address 'cause someone else is bound to have your name. That's a lot of info for the government to keep a close and accurate eye on.

Hi girls,
I guess the more you swap the more issues you run into....live and learn....
Thanks for the information, as this is the first time it has happened, the package contained hoya plant cuttings... oh well I tried. The funny thing is, I did get one hoya from this person in September...lol lucky .....and it's growing nicely.... I take all my seeds swap stuff to the post office, fill out the form and send it....ultimately I don't want it to come back to me
Is there a posting or something of what can be sent and where? I would like to read up on the shipping thing.


Thanks,

Hi charlie,

LOL i posted twice to your question so it seems, my other posting contains some more info......

Paulien

there are regulations...from the us government as well as the other countries. i've got links in my favs on the comp at home - i'll post them later (i'm not on the comp at home).

Yes, I had several hundred dollars worth of bulbs from Northern Ireland shipped to me that I didn't get in September 2006. There were several parcels destined for the US from the same hybridizer and some of those people got letters, but I didn't. ONe person out of 9 got their bulbs -- how's that fornot making sense? NO soil on bulbs and this man has shipped to the US for over 3 decades without a problem until this year.

This may help.Its a list of shipping stuff by country.
http://pe.usps.gov/text/Imm/Immctry.html

Sometimes it is funny.I recently sent a package of plants(bulbs) to the Netherlands(6 weeks& it arrived)there is a differance between a live plant& a dormant bulb.
This page is international shipping.You should find anything you need here.I use this page all the time for my postage & it helps to know how to 'declare'an item so it enters the country.

http://www.usps.com/business/international/welcome.htm
soory

When I went to Italy last year to see family up in the Mts of southern Italy. I brought back all kinds of seeds. Some I bought in the stores, and they say there seeds are good for 3 years. Alot of seeds were from family,tomatoes,cucumbers,zuchinni,peanuts, lettuce,garlic. I never claimed them when I came back to the U.S. I was very scared that I was going to get caught but I didn't I have family coming to the states in July and Im going to ask her to bring some more seeds. If they do find them I don't know what they do to you if you do get caught.

Hi everyone,

I went to Hawaii 5 ears ago and brought packaged seeds and cuttings. I also picked up seeds from the ground and brought those back too...(not supposed to) 300.00 fine.... if caught....I don't know how well it is enforced....luckily I didn't find out.......lol

I planted 5 bird of paradise seeds nad didn't get any of those....lol but I got a monkey pod tree instead....lol
The tree is now 7 feet tall and doing well....





This is a very neat tree, the leaves open during the day and close up at night....

That's a cool tree!

That is a unique tree, Charlotte!

Dianna

Hi all,

Thanks about the tree, I think it's kinda awesome too. Except right now it's taking up space in my kitchen for the Winter...I can't wait til spring when I can put it outside again.


I need space...lol

I keep teasing the hubby that I'm going to give it to our local greenhouse (Ott's) and then have visiting rights to it they have a greenhouse that is 40' tall....lol



Here's the link to the monkeypod tree.....on the bucket. http://s103.photobucket.com/albums/m148/Charlie7_01/Monkey%20Pod%20Tree/ I couldn't resize photo small enough for posting.....

Does anyone else have any exotic trees growing? Either inside or out?

Charlotte