Mailing Orchids

[Mevv]

After alot of thought I've been thinking of purchasing a compot because they are usualy a better bargain than individual orchids and I have several family members who would like to own orchids as well.

My question is, if I were to mail them to my family within the United states would I need special paper work to do so? I heard there is some sort of paper for international shipping.

Another similiar question, In a year or two I plan to move out of the US and would like to take my plants with. What paper work would I need to do to take them with me, could I take them on the plane in my carry on? Or would they need to be mailed? I know air lines are very strict with living things and don't want to see them take my orchids.

[Bird Song Farm]

Hi,
You don't need any special paper work to send your orchid plants within the U.S.
I can't help you with your move overseas but I'm guessing that you can't take the plants unless they have been in some sort of quarantine for a certain period of time. Hopefully others will have more info. for you.

Al

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

You need to check the other country's laws regarding plants as well as those of the US.

The easiest method to ship plants is via in-vitro (in a bottle). Tissue cultured material is exempt from a lot of paperwork. Seeds are also exempt from all paperwork in most countries. Again you not only have to check with CITES, but also the USDA and the organization handling horticultural plants in the other country.

As for shipping within the continental US, many states don't require paperwork. Arizona might. Shipping to Hawaii you definitely do need CITES and phytosanitary papers.

[Ray]

Technically-speaking, plants going into AZ, CA, and HI need extra documentation and/or inspection before crossing the border.

[camille1585]

The others answered your question about intra US shipping. As for moving out of the country, things can get complicated. I know of a few people who moved out of the EU and preferred to sell off their collections rather than got through the hassle an expenses of taking the orchids with them. Where are you moving to? The easiest would be to contact the deparment of agriculture of the country you will be going to. They will (hopefully) be able to help you. The problem isn't really getting the plants out of the USA, but getting them into the the other country. Normally (assuming you get permission to bring them), the orchids will have to stay at the port of entry of the country to be inspected.

You will need CITES and Phyto docs for the orchids. I may be wrong, but I think you need a CITES for each different species. In any case you will not be able to take orchids which are listed in CITES Appendix I, which is ALL (I think) of the Paphs and Phrags, and a few other various orchids.

This is what I have heard from unofficial sources, so you really should contact competent people.

[Mevv]

thanks for the help. I'm planning to move to Portugal after college. I'm just not sure how to go about contacting another countrie's department. The internet hasn't been that helpfull with understand portuguese specific goverment regulations on plants.

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Mevv

thanks for the help. I'm planning to move to Portugal after college. I'm just not sure how to go about contacting another countrie's department. The internet hasn't been that helpfull with understand portuguese specific goverment regulations on plants.

Try contacting the Portuguese embassy in the USA. They might be able to help you out a bit, or at least tell you who would have the information you need. I hope you speak the language if you have to contact people in portugal, or else it's going to be difficult! Even though you're not leaving right away, if you find out now that taking orchids is almost impossible/expensive you'll know to avoid buying more plants now.

[stefpix]

And then if after a few years in Portugal you wanted to move back to the USA it would be another bureaucratic nightmare...