I doubt there is anyone with that sort of experience. Just seems like a lot of trouble when the variety can be found in the US.

It would probably be cheaper and easier to buy RdB cuttings off of ebay. Make sure you vet the seller on the figs 4 fun forum.

milehighgirl , importing small amount plants from other country is costly. I don't know the exactly the application fees, but I think is somewhere $80 to apply for import permit. Also there are many restrictions on what type of plant, the size,and ago of the plant, must be soil-less ... etc. If you can find this fig on e-bay, it is much cheaper to buy on e-bay.

Hi, I was interested in the process of importing figs too but if you look I think you can most varieties here. I applied on line for an account with the USDA e authentication PPQ system. I then had to go to the nearest USDA or agricultural office and present my license to finalize the account setup process. I apply for the permit online. You have to send that permit to who ever is shipping the material. Of course it will be in English and you will have to explain to them what they need to do. That permit goes inside the package and the package gets shipped to a central location that depends on where you live to be inspected before entry. It probably get inspected at the country of origin too. That permit has your address on it and then if it passes it is shipped to you and you are charged whatever the fee is. I'm not sure how that is paid for since I never completed the process. I tried to buy off of the EU ebay and I think it was from the Baud nursery too. I sent them the paperwork and the permit but they eventually told me it was too difficult and they had to travel a long distance to where the needed to drop of the plant for inspection on their end. One last thing. You will then open your property up to inspection by a USDA official. You must isolate that plant material. You will not be able to distribute of propagate that material for a couple of years. If any problems are found there is always the possibility that the official could order that plant or other plants destroyed. So I decided not to import anything and just find it here.

tmc2009,

Thank you. That's the information I was looking for. I figured it was not easy and would not be worth it. Now I know for sure.

Hi, It's actually called the USDA APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services. Another thing that concerned me is some stories this year of the USDA acting like ATF agents. Just google Gibson Guitar raid and another story about a crack down on people who raise rabbits just as a hobby and occasionally sell rabbits to make enough money to support the hobby and are not a business. So I wasn't too comfortable opening the door for some inspector to have access to my property just for a hobby. I still have the account though and get interesting bulletins about all the imported pests and line of action that they are taking to combat them so they are doing some good and necessary work.

RDB is too easy to find in the US as TMC stated but you can ask about ship at your own risk fig tree cuttings. They may look out for you they may not. a legit biz will almost always say no because they too have a lot to loose. in AU they tell me it's a very hefty fine if they get caught. All I can say is look around and keep your success to yourself before you look like this guy who sold some cuttings to an undercover.

I'm just playing with you.

Someone I know *ahem* bough some plants from abroad. Cuttings and seeds thru the mail. Won't suggest it that way though. There might be consequences.

I guess you take a chance. I did a trade with Indonesia. My package spent 5 days in NY customs before it was released, unopened as far as I could tell. All went well.

https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction!execute.action?formattedLabel=ee151440786id

My recent trade with China looks to be seriously overdue :(

Milehighgirl, I have Ronde de Bordeaux. You can get cuttings here in the USA fairly easily. I purchased mine from a reliable fig forum member from this forum and the figs4fun forum. Just watch this forum as well as the figs4fun forum. You can ask for cuttings, and reliable fig folks will sell them to you or trade for other varieties. I would not risk having something come through illegally. You can face fines, and you can also risk bringing in diseases that might affect your figs as well as spread to other figs in the area. You can get just about any fig variety here in the USA. There are plenty of great varieties here, no need to go to great or illegal lengths to get fig cuttings from abroad.

Patty S.

You all have been so kind and generous! I was able to find several varieties that I wanted, including Ronde de Borudeaux. I hope to be able to trade cuttings in the future to get all the cold-hardy, early-ripening varieties. I also got some cuttings that I will attempt to root.

I'm sure to have lots of questions in the future!

Hi,

Consider yourself lucky for varieties of fig tree if you happen to live in US since there are so many fig growers
who can trade with you.
I was thinking to order fig cuttings from the USDA, but
had to forget about it as I live in Canada and would be
a lot of trouble (inspection...) for me.