taking house plants?

[LindaB 0]

Just curious if I can take my house plants with me when I can finally move across the border? Has anyone had any trouble with that?

I know, that you cant bring new potted plants across because I had a poinsetta taken away once when I was taking it to a friends dinner but I heard taking house plants when you are immigrating is different.

Thanks

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Just curious if I can take my house plants with me when I can finally move across the border? Has anyone had any trouble with that?

I know, that you cant bring new potted plants across because I had a poinsetta taken away once when I was taking it to a friends dinner but I heard taking house plants when you are immigrating is different.

Thanks

It depends on who's manning the border, what it is you want to import and how much you like your plants. Used to be that most of the time nobody cared, but after 911, forgetaboutit. The USDA gets real concerned when you try to import plants into the US with soil. That's the reason your poinsettia was confiscated. I know of many people who have imported plants into the US but they had the phytosanitary certificate from Agriculture Canada. Make a list of all the plants you want to import and their sizes and post it. A phytosanitary certificate will set you back $25 or more (I haven't checked lately). You could try your luck at the border, you might get a sympathetic guard but the phytosanitary requirement has been on the books since the early 1990s. How big are these plants of yours?

Edited January 23, 2008 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[SonoranSongbird 3]

Thanks, IR5. We are a looooong way from sweetie immigrating, unfortunately, but he has a really nice house plant he might want to bring.

[LindaB 0]

Just curious if I can take my house plants with me when I can finally move across the border? Has anyone had any trouble with that?

I know, that you cant bring new potted plants across because I had a poinsetta taken away once when I was taking it to a friends dinner but I heard taking house plants when you are immigrating is different.

Thanks

It depends on who's manning the border, what it is you want to import and how much you like your plants. Used to be that most of the time nobody cared, but after 911, forgetaboutit. The USDA gets real concerned when you try to import plants into the US with soil. That's the reason your poinsettia was confiscated. I know of many people who have imported plants into the US but they had the phytosanitary certificate from Agriculture Canada. Make a list of all the plants you want to import and their sizes and post it. A phytosanitary certificate will set you back $25 or more (I haven't checked lately). You could try your luck at the border, you might get a sympathetic guard but the phytosanitary requirement has been on the books since the early 1990s. How big are these plants of yours?

The plants are small house plants, not worth the $25 fee for the phytosanitary certificate. Will have to leave them here in Canada then....too bad, a couple of them are about 10 years old

[Kathryn41 3,205]

I brought 7 houseplants with me - one of them was started by my grandmother and has been kept going since she was in her 20s so I wasn't leaving that behind. The phyto sanitary certificate covered all of the plants and cost me $18 at the time - that was nearly 4 years ago so it has probably gone up. Sure, you can 'replace' them here inexpensively, but sometimes even a plant has sentimental value. I brought the plants into work, and the inspector came to my place of work to inspect them. It was painless, so don't hesitate to take that route if you want to bring some of your houseplants in.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

LindaB, you can get around the phytosanitary certificate if you do it this way. Bareroot the plants if possible, wrap the roots in damp newspaper, put the roots with newspaper in a produce bag and tape it shut. Put in box and mail. If over 500g then attach CN22, if over 500g attach CN23. Value=NCV, description is tropical plants or plants. Mail and enjoy plants when you receive them in the mail. A package from me? I shouldn't have, I'm so thoughtful. I've never lost one this way. The biggest plant I've ever sent, a banana that was 18" long, the biggest I've ever received is a banana that was 36" long. Looks like I'll need a certificate for a 9-foot fig tree. Propagating (air-layering, stooling, cuttings, etc.) may be a solution for a very large houseplant. Take a few babies and leave momma plant behind.

Kathryn41, I know what you mean about plants having sentimental value. Australians have a real attachment to hoyas and many of them give them away to guests as a token of affection. I'm partial to plumerias myself (as well as the jasmines, bananas, figs, passifloras and just about all my other plants).

[Cantwait2gethome 0]

My husband immigrated around christmas time in '07. Our plant certificate only cost us $11. I was able to list as many as I wanted, so on that certificate I brought back 6 houseplants. For me, the $11 was well worth the emotional ties I had with the plants....I had brought them with me when I had immigrated to Canada. Besides, I know around here, a 4" starter plant can easily run around $8 -10 and the plants are brought were at least 15 years worth of growth. Now mind you, we lived in Ontario, so I am not sure what other provinces charge.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Just curious if I can take my house plants with me when I can finally move across the border? Has anyone had any trouble with that?

I know, that you cant bring new potted plants across because I had a poinsetta taken away once when I was taking it to a friends dinner but I heard taking house plants when you are immigrating is different.

Thanks

Nope can't do. We had to leave Bren's botanical collection back in Deadmonton