Getting em into Canada

[calvin_orchidL]

Hey everyone,

Under the new directive (as posted on the main page) it is now legal to import up to 50 orchids if they accompany the buyer with luggage. I was really excited about this, because one of my friends was making a trip down to Chicago and offered to pick up some plants for me from Oakhill! However, after e-mailing Oakhill, it seems that they don't do exports for small orders, or even pickups, likely because the CITES documentation is too bothersome to complete. The do export wholesale, but their wholesale package requires a minimum of 5 of each plant ordered - what am I going to do with 5 aerangis mystacidii

It's a little frustrating, because despite being able to bring back orchids from the US on shopping trips, it is unlikely that I will have the time to obtain the required CITES documentation (I know phytosanitary documentation is no longer required) before it's time to go home. And some nurseries just don't do it.

Just wondering what other Canadians have experienced since this new directive came into play. Ie - do you know any vendors who are ready to supply CITES? I'm heading down to the states this summer and was looking forward to bringing back some plants (all of them Appendix II - I only grow common stuff!) but CITES might just be getting in my way.

Ideas? I know group orders is an option and I plan on pursuing that as well, but it stinks being able to see all these plants and not being able to buy them...(I'm going to be passing by Santa Barbara on my way down from San Francisco to LA....and you know whats there ...although importing from california is another bucket of worms because of SOD.... )

[philoserenus]

this would be an interesting thread to follow for sure, i would like to know.

sry to hijack this thread for a sec, so are essentially zero paperwork is needed if i drive them in? or do i need to get something from the vendor or on my side from canada?

[calvin_orchidL]

Originally Posted by philoserenus

this would be an interesting thread to follow for sure, i would like to know.

sry to hijack this thread for a sec, so are essentially zero paperwork is needed if i drive them in? or do i need to get something from the vendor or on my side from canada?

I've never tried it so I'm just speaking from what I've read (and I've tried to find any sort of loophole to no avail). It seems that if you have 50 or fewer plants, you can bring them in without a phytosanitary certificate which is essentially the document that proves the plants are not diseased...the exception to this is if your bringing them in from states that have the danger of sudden oak death (SOD) which includes California and Oregon if I'm not mistaken. You *DO* need to have CITES from the exporting nursery...this is to ensure you're not trying to transport endangered plants across the border.

Apparently CITES isn't that difficult to get, so I'd be interested in hearing which nurseries can offer this documentation without too much extra charge. It makes me sad that oakhill doesn't because I've heard such great things about them, and I always stop by Chicago on flights.

[lilricky]

Couldn't your friend just drop in at Oakhill? Don't they sell retail?

[calvin_orchidL]

Yes, but getting them across the border legally is the main issue Without CITES I'm afraid they may be destroyed at customs