International Bonsai Imports into the US

[Kievnstavick]

As the grand majority have already stated, just get a refund.

Both the shipper and receiver need to have the correct paperwork and licenses. The tree will have to sit in a quarantine building for upto 2 years (could be a lot shorter) while being tended to by the USDA employees who probably don't know the first thing about the needs of a bonsai tree compared the hundreds of thousands they have to look over.

As an government employee with a great work ethic, I can imagine how those employee probably work like. It will probably die there.

To top it off, you are in California which is notorious for its strict importation standards to where it is hard to move trees between state lines. Doubly so with an agriculturally important species like an Olive.

In a podcast I had listen to in the recent past, a curator of a bonsai museum talked about the process of how the got some trees imported into the USA. It took a few years to assemble the paperwork and they even had to use some political leverage to get the green light. While the trees were in quarantine, the trees were looked after museum staff that spent a year to train as USDA caretaker staff.

All-in-all, the whole process is simply not worth it in the slightest as it comes with great expense as a very long wait. All with a strong likely hood of the plant substaining serious damage or even death.

 

[Paradox]

Right...and those nurseries aren't dealing with individuals not on their source list. It's to risky for their own business. My friend tried to get one sent to a nursery that imports. They wouldn't do it. Don't blame them.

Wigerts and/or Brussel's Bonsai (I forget which) imported a large number of trees a few years ago. Both are large operations with the greenhouse house space to hold the trees for quarantine. Im sure they were careful about who they bought trees from and made sure the paperwork and everything was legit.

I know it was very expensive for them to do it and have the space and staff qualified to keep the trees.

So yea they aren't just going to import one tree for people, especially if the place it's coming from doesn't have the proper certification and paperwork.

That's just getting it to the United States. As stated, California has strict rules about bringing plants into that state even from other states in the US.

 

[rockm]

As said, get a refund. If you pursue getting this tree, you face a very stiff uphill battle and the tree will suffer. There are exceptional olive bonsai already available in the U.S. particularly in Southern California and Florida.

Importing bonsai to the U.S. is a complicated, time consuming process. This is an example of what the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum did to import some of its trees. Worth reading as this was an EXPEDITED process for notable trees done by people who understand the process (also note timing of importing trees in spring and early summer--it's winter now. Olives don't like to be frozen--which is likely since port of entry for your tree might be in the Eastern U.S.). Importing bonsai requires phytosanitary certificates from the seller, as well as a two year quarantine (either at the importers site or at the destination in APHIS approved facilities). Bare rooting and removal of all planting material is also part of the process. Once barerooted, the roots will be fumigated with insecticide It's a very stressful process. Professional importers I've talked with have lost about half the trees they import because of the process, which is why imported trees can be very expensive.

The reason for the restrictions on bonsai is because they are a proven source of potentially disastrous insect and pathogen transmission. In 2001, a shipment of elm bonsai in Tukwila, WA (can't remember the name of the bonsai vendor) imported trees from China that were infested with longhorn beetle. The beetles are a potential disaster for the timber industry as they infest, chew trees and kill them. Once the beetles were discovered (three flew out of the bonsai and into nearby woods) The Forest Service clear cut in-ground trees within an eighth of a mile around the vendor's home/nursery and treated trees i another ring around that with systemic insecticides to prevent the beetle from spreading. I think the vendor's trees were also destroyed. There are other cases as well. The State of California also likely has additional restrictions on olives, since they're cultivated there.

Region 6 - Invasive Species

Region 6 - Invasive Species

www.fs.usda.gov

From the APHIS/USDA manual on importing plants, specifically bonsai
"Artificially dwarfed plants (e.g., bonsai or penjing) imported into the United States from all countries, except from Canada, and are less than 2 years old, must have been grown and handled as follows:

• Any growing media, including soil, must be removed from the artificially dwarfed plants (bonsai or penjing) prior to shipment to the United States (except for plants to be imported in accordance with Approved Taxa for Plants in Growing Media Program)
• Artificially dwarfed plants must be grown in accordance with the following requirements and the required phytosanitary certificate must contain the additional declarations that those requirements have been met.
  • Artificially dwarfed plants must be grown for at least 2 years in a greenhouse or screenhouse in a nursery registered with the government of the country where the plants were grown
  • Artificially dwarfed plants must be grown in pots containing only sterile growing media during the 2-year period when they are grown

For further details of requirements see the APHIS Plants for Planting Manual."


Also, if you do go ahead and have the tree shipped without permits and qualifications, it will likely be intercepted at the port of entry by Customs and Border Protection who will likely destroy it. One of their jobs is detecting and blocking import of potentially hazardous agricultural products. They are very good at it. If it slips through the process at the port, CBP will probably track it to you eventually through paperwork. They can confiscate it and destroy it and fine you.

All that said, there are importers around who will import for you and have appropriate import facilities. Tracking those folks down for a single tree will be a challenge, since they won't work for free and there would be very little monetary incentive for them to do it.

This tree isn't worth the hassle. You've probably got better olive bonsai already around you in California.

 

[Orion_metalhead]

I spoke with one person who had imported azaleas from japan through the process. He said that once in the states he drove 2hrs almost daily to the facility for two years to ensure they were cared for properly / to make sure they were watered, fertilized, in health. He eventually sold most of them but it honestly, sounds like a loss for me.

 

[rockm]

More from the APHIS manual on importing. Bonsai are also singled out for specific rules regarding longhorn beetles with additional regs :

Artificially Dwarfed Plants Any artificially-dwarfed plant (e.g. bonsai or penjing) imported into the United States from all countries (except Canada), except for plants that are less than 2 years old must have been grown and handled in accordance with the requirements listed below and must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate that was issued by the government of the country where the plants were grown.

The plants must be as follows:
Any growing media, including soil must be removed from the artificially dwarfed plants (bonsai or penjing) prior to shipment to the United States

Except for plants to be imported in accordance with Approved Taxa for Plants in Growing Media Program

Artificially dwarfed plants must be grown in accordance with the following requirements and the required phytosanitary certificate must contain the following additional declarations that those requirements have been met:

Artificially dwarfed plants must be grown for at least 2 years in a greenhouse or screenhouse in a nursery registered with the government of the country where the plants were grown;

Greenhouse or screenhouse in which the artificially dwarfed plants are grown must have screening with openings of not more than 1.6 mm on all vents and openings, and all entryways must be equipped with automatic closing doors;

Artificially dwarfed plants must be grown in pots containing only sterile growing media during the 2-year period when they are grown in a greenhouse or screenhouse in a registered nursery;

Artificially dwarfed plants must be grown on benches at least 50 cm above the ground during the 2-year period when they are grown in a greenhouse or screenhouse in a registered nursery; and

Plants and the greenhouse or screenhouse and nursery where they are grown must be inspected for any evidence of pests and found free of pests of quarantine significance to the United States at least once every 12 months by the plant protection service of the country where the plants are grown

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I once bought a cheap Serissa on eBay to round out a shohin display. The listing said it ships from within the USA, but after a couple weeks when it didn’t arrive and the seller was unresponsive, I cancelled the order and obtained a refund. A few weeks after that I was contacted by APHIS about the tree I ordered and had to explain what happened. Had it been shipped, they were headed to the house to pick it up for destruction. Totally not worth it, especially when you‘re already in a target-rich environment for olives.

 

[BobbyLane]

I was thinking the same thing, this tree doesn't even look worth the hassle, considering how abundant Olives are where you are.

 

[Cadillactaste]

I was thinking the same thing, this tree doesn't even look worth the hassle, considering how abundant Olives are where you are.

My thoughts exactly! Not worth the headaches. I think poster has plenty to chew over. But living in California...is another hiccup. Their rules to bringing in plants are more strict. Especially olive trees. Our horticultural aspects run deeper than a hobby one plays with.

 

[Canada Bonsai]

Italy to Los Angeles

From Canada i ship plants to anywhere in the USA except California

I don’t have what you’re looking for; i’m just pointing out that even if Italy to USA is possible, Italy to California might be a different ball game altogether

 

[Glaucus]

Importing an olive from Italy to Cali seems like the absolute word case scenario.

 

[Paradox]

A few weeks after that I was contacted by APHIS about the tree I ordered and had to explain what happened. Had it been shipped, they were headed to the house to pick it up for destruction. Totally not worth it....

Considering they probably would have confiscated some or all of the rest of your collection and destroyed those as well....totally not worth it.

The OP has not been back to comment, I know this isn't what they wanted to hear but I hope he takes the advice seriously.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Considering they probably would have confiscated some or all of the rest of your collection and destroyed those as well....totally not worth it.

The OP has not been back to comment, I know this isn't what they wanted to hear but I hope he takes the advice seriously.

I didn’t say they were getting in.

 

[Srt8madness]

I once bought a cheap Serissa on eBay to round out a shohin display. The listing said it ships from within the USA, but after a couple weeks when it didn’t arrive and the seller was unresponsive, I cancelled the order and obtained a refund. A few weeks after that I was contacted by APHIS about the tree I ordered and had to explain what happened. Had it been shipped, they were headed to the house to pick it up for destruction. Totally not worth it, especially when you‘re already in a target-rich environment for olives.

Do you think the seller had shipment intercepted and your name was on a packing list or something? Or is Ebay providing transaction details directly to the government?

 

[rockm]

Do you think the seller had shipment intercepted and your name was on a packing list or something? Or is Ebay providing transaction details directly to the government?

The tracking is provided through the shipper to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Manifests of incoming international shipments are a long-standing part of importing. Shippers have been providing that data for a century. It's not some gummint plot to keep citizens down...Lately, CBP has sharpened their import data with new systems that speed the importing process exponentially. Those capabilities also allow it to find criminals shipping illegal shit into the county, like Fentanyl.

And FWIW I am familiar with CBP because I used to cover the agency as a trade news reporter...

 

[kollman]

Thanks all for the informative responses (and stories!). I've cancelled the order with the seller and am getting refunded. Live and learn

 

[SouthernMaple]

I was talking to a friend last weekend who went to japan and brought back 30 azaleas earlier this year, he had actually bought close to 50 but they died at LAX in quarantine. He was telling me the other people that went on the trip with him bought japanese white pine, over 50 of them and they all died in quarantine. Sad too because they were really nice trees and could have won awards here in the states for years to come.

 

[Srt8madness]

The tracking is provided through the shipper to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Manifests of incoming international shipments are a long-standing part of importing. Shippers have been providing that data for a century. It's not some gummint plot to keep citizens down...Lately, CBP has sharpened their import data with new systems that speed the importing process exponentially. Those capabilities also allow it to find criminals shipping illegal shit into the county, like Fentanyl.

And FWIW I am familiar with CBP because I used to cover the agency as a trade news reporter...

I'm well aware of manifests, I imported vessel loads of steel for years. I've had shipments held up for CBP inspection. What I questioned was how Brian's name and info would have been known, since he canceled the order. It would seem that the order still shipped even though it was canceled, but that wasn't a given so I asked.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I'm well aware of manifests, I imported vessel loads of steel for years. I've had shipments held up for CBP inspection. What I questioned was how Brian's name and info would have been known, since he canceled the order. It would seem that the order still shipped even though it was canceled, but that wasn't a given so I asked.

I don’t think it was ever shipped, and my recollection is that it seemed like the transaction itself was flagged at eBay. It took a while to get a response from the seller (attached…second sign of trouble), and another couple months for the refund through eBay.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thanks all for the informative responses (and stories!). I've cancelled the order with the seller and am getting refunded. Live and learn

Good for you...and truly, there are much nicer Olives to be found...In California. so in that aspect. I see nicer material if you choose to buy locally.

 

[madvillain]

I wish importing trees was a much simpler process longing for the day we can get beni chidoris in the US