Cites certificate and phytosanitary certificate
 

:waving Could y'all please explain the requirement for CITES certificates and phytosanitary certificates for having orchids ship from a overseas vendor i.e. Australia. The vendor supplies a CITES certificate but the phytosanitary cert costs (AU $120). Or do anyone knows of a U.S. vendor that sells Australian Dendrobium 'Chocolate Star'?

Is 'Chocolate Star' the hybrid name or grex or is it the cultivar?
When a name is in single quotes it is a cultivar name.
I used the RHS registry and found there is a dendrobium called Dendrobium Australian Chocolate Starfish.
There is no registered hybrid name of Dendrobium Chocolate Star.

I might of have had the name wrong. Do you know any thing about CITES and Phytosanitary certificates? What are rules and where to get these to import orchids? Thanks.

The rulre is very easy, with some slight variations: If a bought orchid (this is also applicabe for many other plants and animals) needs to cross a country border to reach your place, you will need CITES and Phytosanitary certificates! As you see, very simple and clear rules in the game ;)

when I mentionned light variations is because for example all EU countries counts as one country in this case. Switzerland is not EU, however, due to some bilateral agreement, if the plant is coming from EU and is not intended to be sold in Switzerland, you do not need CITES (as per Phyto Cert., it depends on which border they plant is going through, as the police in some cantones are more picky than the other)

Look at CITES link for more information:
CITES Appendices
and
Appendices I, II and III

Orchids required CITES:
Aerangis ellisii Dendrobium cruentum Laelia jongheana Laelia lobata Paphiopedilum spp. Peristeria elata Phragmipedium spp. Renanthera imschootiana

If plants are in vitro you are safe no mater what kind of orchids.
" (......seedling or tissue cultures obtained in vitro, in solid or liquid media, transported in sterile containers are not subject to the provisions of the Convention)" :) :) :)

Yes I did read that earlier thru my own research. What I'm not understanding is if a plant is in flask does it only require the CITES certificate only or both the CITES certificate and Phytosanitary certificate coming from another country has an export? $120 AU currency is awful lot to pay to whine up closing a plant. Is there anyone out there that has been through this? To lead me in the right direction.

Theoretically, plants in vitro are both artificially propagated and sterile, and therefore don't need any such documentation.

I say "theoretically" as sometimes the inspectors interpret things entirely differently.

If importing plants, you must also have an import permit from the USDA APHIS, but that's free to collectors.

:scratchhead: Free to Collectors?? As in hobbyist, like myself or someone that cultivate orchids at a nursery? I went to the USDA APHIS website, I don't know which permit I need to submit PPQ 587 or PPQ 671 or both permits? Oh I got my PrimeAgra starter kid. My Phal N:D ID is really loving it!

I recently got an Australian Dendrobium from DUNO. They have a show coming up in July at Santa Barbara but the cut-off date to place orders was yesterday :bua:

I placed the order on their web site with a small deposit and then when they came to the US to do the Santa Barbara show, they shipped it to me from there and I then paid the balance :)

You can do this with many vendors from all around the world...check with them to see if they have any US shows coming up. If they have one in your area, it's a great reason to go to the show...and if it's not local, they'll ship it from where ever they are ;)

If you buy an orchid in vitro you don't need CITES, period. If you buy an orchid NOT in vitro; look at the list; If it's on the list you need CITES if it's not on the list you don't need it, quite simple. Phytosanitary certificate is a different issue. :)