Understand How to Import Orchids From Other Countries

Video Transcript

""In getting Orchids from outside of the United States the process is a little bit more complex than if you were to order from one of the more local or regional providers of plants. One of the things that you have to guarantee is that you would have to guarantee you have a certificate for the transportation of endangered species act formulated by the United Nations, Often simply called the Cites. This is your proof that that plant has left its point of origin legally. Now, how do you get a Cites? Well part of the problem is how do you start the process of importing Orchids? You would start in the United States by contacting the United States Department of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture will readily issue you an import from them. If you tend to get more than one plant of each you have to get an additional certification which means you have to go to the U.S.D. office with photo identification and prove who you are to initiate and complete the process. The Cites is part of the purchase process on any Orchid and you pay so much for each species or group of species that you are importing. Usually they run you ten dollars for the first five plants and fifty cents to a dollar for any additional plant. Some plants are on the forbidden list and cannot be imported and people who have imported plants which are unnamed have often times found themselves in serious legal difficulties. Including some in the United States who have done jail time because they have brought plants into the country without a Cites, but since they were new species it's probably understandable. Now you don't want to bring in plants under your coat when you come in from a foreign country because they'll catch you and they have caught some people with their whole rain jacket lined with plants. Seized everything they had, including the clothing on their back and suggested that they might want to spend a little time in the local jail.""