Q: I live in Canada, and I want to order plants from U.S. nurseries. No one wants to ship them here, though. Why not?
Lori Reynolds, Etobicoke, Ontario, ca
A:
Michelle Avent, co-owner of Plant Delights Nursery , a mail-order nursery that does ship to Canada, replies: It’s time-consuming and costly for U.S. nurseries to ship plants to Canada, and it’s costly for Canadians to receive U.S. plants. Also, delays in customs can result in the plant’s deterioration prior to delivery.
Plants must meet vigorous standards both before they leave the U.S. and prior to entering Canada. Plants leaving the U.S. must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate, which means pulling plants from the nursery and placing them in an isolated area for inspection by the state’s Department of Agriculture. The inspector checks plants for insects and diseases prohibited by Canadian import regulations. Any plants not meeting these regulations cannot be shipped, and must be removed from the order.
If plants meet inspection standards, we remove the soil from their roots before they are packaged and shipped in a special gel. It is possible to obtain balled and burlapped plants or containerized plants with soil, but additional regulations may require treatment for the eradication of specific pests, such as Japanese beetles or fire ants.
Getting the plant into Canada quickly can also be a challenge because Cana­dian customs may hold shipments for further inspection. In some cases, plants may not be delivered to the customer for up to 14 days. To expedite this process, we often ship the plant to a customs broker who represents our customer.
If you have an import permit, the process will move faster. Import permits can be obtained from Agriculture Canada, and a customs broker can provide information on handling imported plant material. By obtaining the proper paperwork in advance, you can facilitate the movement of plants into Canada from U.S. nurseries. For a list of customs brokers, who typically work out of airports and customs offices, contact your nearest Canadian customs office.
