Plants > Plant Protection Policy Directives > Horticulture 

Subject

This directive describes the requirements for personal importations of houseplants from the continental United States (US) and Hawaii. These houseplants may be exempt, under prescribed conditions, from regular Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) phytosanitary (plant health) documentation import requirements. Information on commercial importations and specific plant species requirements are described in other policies.

This policy has been revised to clarify the requirements for houseplants intended for personal use originating from areas regulated for Sudden oak Death (SOD), Phytophtora ramorum.

Table of Contents

Review
Endorsement
Amendment Record
Distribution
Introduction
Scope
References
Definitions, Abbreviations and Acronyms

1.0 General Requirements
1.1 Legislative Authority
1.2 Fees
1.3 Regulated pests
1.4 Regulated Commodities
1.5 Regulated Areas

2.0 Specific Requirements
2.1 Prohibitions
2.2 Import Requirements
2.3 Required Documentation
2.4 Inspection Requirements
2.5 Non-Compliance
2.6 Other

3.0 Appendix
Appendix 1: Examples of eligible plants and non-eligible species

Review

This directive will be reviewed every 2 years. The next review date for this directive is September 29, 2008. The contact for this directive is Joanne Rousson. For further information or clarification, please contact the Horticulture Section.

Endorsement

Approved by:

Amendment Record

Amendments to this directive will be dated and distributed as outlined in the distribution below.

Distribution

1. Directive mail list (Regions, PHRA, USDA)
2. Provincial Government, Industry (via Regions)
3. National Industry Organizations (determined by Author)
4. Internet

Introduction

Houseplants are usually tropical or semi-tropical plants that are grown or intended to be grown indoors in Canada and are usually used for ornamental purposes. The plant groupings which are currently considered as houseplants include foliage plants, orchids, bromeliads and flowering plants, ferns, cacti, and succulents. For houseplants imported from the continental US and Hawaii, an exemption from regular documentation requirements is made because the risk of introducing quarantine pests into Canada from these commodities is low. Since houseplants are not intended for use for commercial propagation and are planted and remain planted indoors, they are not commonly linked with nursery stock or agricultural production areas or the environment. Because houseplants are kept indoors, the possibility of spreading pests or diseases is limited.

Scope

This directive is intended for use by the Canada Border Services Agency and CFIA inspection staff as well as travellers coming from the continental US and Hawaii.

References

D-96-09, Plant Protection Import Requirements for Orchid Plants

This document supercedes D-01-03 (Original) dated May 16, 2001.

Definitions, Abbreviations and Acronyms

1.0 General Requirements

1.1 Legislative Authority

The Plant Protection Act, S.C. 1990, c. 22
The Plant Protection Regulations, SOR/95-212
Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice, Canada Gazette, Part 1 (05/13/2000)

1.2 Fees

The CFIA is charging fees in accordance with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice. For information regarding fees associated with imported product, please contact the Import Service Centres (ISC) at the following phone numbers: Eastern ISC 1-877-493-0468; Central ISC 1-800-835-4486; Western ISC 1-888-732-6222. Anyone requiring other information regarding fees may contact any local CFIA office or Canadian Food Inspection Agency Fees Notice website.

1.3 Regulated pests

The following list names the major soil-inhabiting organisms that are listed as regulated pests of Canada. This list is subject to change and is not inclusive.

Alfalfa snout beetle, Otiorynchus ligustici (L);
Apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh);
Blueberry maggot, Rhagoletis mendax Curran;
Columbia root knot nematode, Meloidogyne chitwoodi Golden et al.;
European brown garden snail, Helix aspersa Mueller;
Golden nematode, Globodera rostochiensis (Woll);
Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newm.;
Soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines Ichinoe
Potato Rot Nematode, Ditylenchus destructor
Sudden Oak Death, Phytophtora ramorum

1.4 Regulated Commodities

Houseplants of tropical or semi-tropical species, for personal and non-commercial use. (See Appendix 1 for examples of eligible plants and non-eligible species)

Note: Bonsaii and Penjing plants are not eligible for the exemptions of this directive.
Note: Requirements for the importation of orchids are found in policy directive D-96-09.

1.5 Regulated Areas

Continental US and Hawaii.

2.0 Specific Requirements

2.1 Prohibitions

Plants from Hawaii with soil, sand or related matter are prohibited entry into Canada.

Plants from SOD regulated areas with soil, sand or related matter are prohibited entry into Canada (refer to policy directive D-01-01).

2.2 Import Requirements

The import of houseplants under these specified conditions must be for personal and non-commercial use only. For a shipment to be considered non-commercial, the total number of plants must not exceed 50 houseplants.

The houseplants must accompany the importer at time of entry into Canada, in baggage or as part of household effects. This directive does not include mail and courier importations of the regulated commodities intended for personal use and these importations must meet the standard plant import requirements.

Because the soil might be a source of quarantine pests, the houseplants must not be planted outside at any time even if they might not survive Canadian winters.

Note: Houseplants of some plant species must comply with the CITES requirements (See section 2.6)

2.3 Required Documentation

2.3.1 Houseplants for personal and non-commercial use from continental US.

A Permit to Import or a Phytosanitary Certificate is not required, except if the houseplants are from SOD regulated areas (refer to policy directive D-01-01 for details on regulatory requirements).

2.3.2 Houseplants for personal and non-commercial use from Hawaii

A Permit to Import is not required, however plants must be bare-root and free of soil or growing medium. The houseplants must be accompanied by a federal Phytosanitary Certificate issued by or under the authority of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Note: Importation of houseplants not meeting the import requirements (section 2.2) or from all other countries requires a Permit to Import and a Phytosanitary Certificate.

2.4 Inspection Requirements

All shipments of houseplants intended for personal use are subject to inspection on arrival in Canada to ensure compliance with these requirements and to determine if regulated pests are present. It is the traveller's responsibility to declare houseplants that are in their possession to the Canada Border Services Agency when entering Canada. The cost of inspection is the responsibility of the traveller.

CFIA inspectors should:

1. verify that plants from Hawaii are covered by a Phytosanitary Certificate.
2. inspect for freedom from quarantine pests.
3. inspect according to the general instructions in the Plant Protection Import Manual for green houseplants, Section 4.01.02.

2.5 Non-Compliance

Houseplants which do not meet the requirements, or found to be infested with regulated pests will be refused entry, returned to origin, or disposed of at the importer's expense. The importer is responsible for any and all costs relating to treatment, disposal or removal, including costs incurred by CFIA to monitor the action taken.

2.6 Other

CITES

Importation and exportation of designated plants, such as orchids and cacti, must comply with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) requirements.

Information on CITES requirements may be obtained by contacting:

Management Authority
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
Canadian Wildlife Service
Environment Canada
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3
Ph: 1-800-668-6767 (toll-free number) or (819) 997-1840 (National Capital Region)
Fax: (819) 953-6283
CITES Web Site

3.0 Appendix

Appendix 1: Examples of eligible plants and non-eligible species

Appendix 1

Examples of Eligible Plants

Note: This list is not inclusive

Examples of Non-Eligible Plants

Note: This list is not inclusive.

Note: Any specific species requirements or prohibitions take precedence over the house plant import requirements outlined in this directive.