Hi, Christy,

If you google 'plants into Florida' you come to the Florida Dept of Agriculture site that shows regs for bringing in plants. Under houseplants, it states you must provide a Florida address if they want to do a follow up. So, no problem. And the airlines don't ban plants in your carry-on either. I would suggest you pack them in a cardboard box with shredded paper or peanuts to stabilize them, that should help minimize broken leaves. If you put them in your checked baggage, the baggage manglers will figure out a way to trash them. Keep in mind that suitcase is going to be right side up, on its side, and upside down. And if it goes to Timbuktu, there go the plants.

Have a wonderful trip, enjoy the warmth, and check out some vendors in the area if any. Check the AVSA website for local vendors.

Barbara

Here is a link that might be useful: AV society website

Christy -

If you want to bring the blooming plants for your Mom to enjoy right now - do as Barbara says.

If you want to share your varieties and plant to bring starter plants - you can roll them in a newspaper, staple tops and bottoms, pile in a box and stuff the box in a checkin baggage.

If you want to mail them - you need a heatpack. Otherwise they will freeze.

irina

Thanks so much Barbara and Irina!! I 'googled' all kinds of things and didn't come up with 'plants in florida' which lead me right to where I needed to be! I thought carry-on luggage would be the safest place for them. I have 2 suckers off my red bandito that have rooted. So, they are small and not blooming. I'm still brainstorming what to put them in. I think I need to pick something that can easily be opened and shown and repacked. Ah, and I will enjoy the warmth, considering the low last night was 8 degrees!! Thanks so much for your help, I knew I'd find it here :) Christy

Hey, Christy, how many plants are we talking here and what size are they?

Barbara

They are two suckers off of a mini. They are in a 1 1/2 inch Oyama pot. Plus, I have a Jade cutting, but that is quite durable. So, 3 plants total. Thanks, Christy

I think the carry on route is good - maybe pick up a plastic box (like a gladware container, or the "lock n lock" style, which are sturdy and fantastic) and pack them gently around peanuts, and slide the pots into a toilet paper tube.

Just don't bring water with you, lol!

It might not be the worst idea to call the airline/airport, either. It really truly is up to whatever tsa inspector you happen to get that day.

I was travelling from the US back to Vietnam in January this year with some live plants. My trip back took more than 20 hours and I got all my plants, including 3 violets, back home in good shape. Here was what I did.
Two days before the trip I watered the plants well. Next I used a cone-shaped paper bag to wrap the violet, making sure all the leaves were enclosed snugly. Then I cut an empty Simply Orange juice bottle (washed up carefully) into two halves, the lower half smaller than the upper other half. Then I put the wrapped violet plant inside the lower half of the bottle, put the upper half over the violet, filled in all the empty space with tissue paper through the neck of the bottle. Then I and sealed the two halves with transparent sticky tape (3-M) and left the cap opening uncovered to let in air. This was done for each plant. Finally I placed the bottles inside my carry-on. The bottles helped keep the plants from being crushed. In fact, on my trip back, my carry-on was for plants only!
But my trip was GOING OUT of the US and I didn't have any issues with security or customs. I don't know about your trip WITHIN the US, though.
Have a nice trip.

Xuan

Okay!! My plants made it safely to Florida in my carry-on luggage. I used one of those large plastic cups with cotton balls on the bottom. Put in my Oyama planter with plant, and put cotton balls all around it. Then I put cotton balls on top of it, and covered the whole thing in press and seal wrap. That way, if they wanted to search my bags, it would be easy to reseal it. Thanks for all of your help!!! Christy :)

Hey Christy, glad your plants made it O.K.
I do have a word of advice to all, if you can avoid it do not check plants in the belly of an aircraft, some are not heated unless the crew knows there is cargo or animals that need the heat, don't trust the airlines to heat a cargo compartment for one or two plants that belong to a passenger! As a crew member I lost plants on my way home from trips!