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Importing Plants



Justin,

 >>  This Tuesday I am flying out to Denmark, land of Tropica Plants. I
 >> will be traveling through Denmark, Hamburg, Germany, Rotterdam and
 >> Amsterdam. Can anyone advise me on bringing fish and plants back to
 >> the US? I am aware that the roots of the plants must be dirt free,
 >> and that I will need some sort of certificate. What about fish? I'm
 >> hoping to come back with a mother lode of SAEs. Any advice will be
 >> appreciated.

Good luck.  In order to import plants you need to apply in advance to the USDA.
Not a terribly tough process, but it will take more time then you have.  Call
the USDA office at the airport in which you will go through customs and see
what arrangements you can make, but be sure you don't do anything unless they
are willing to give you something in writting.  Each type of plant needs to be
bare root and free of soil, as you mentioned, and bagged and labeled with
correct latin names.  A list with each bag numbered will work as well.  You
might be lucky and get a sympathetic USDA agent to let you make it with just a
few plants, but I sure wouldn't risk much.  I know because I've been there and
done that and had two beautiful boxes of Tropica Plants confiscated.  Fish,
beats me.

Doug