You need to make advance arrangements to have the plants inspected when you return. And there are restrictions on what you can bring in.

...and the restrictions are there for a very good reason....to protect the plants in your own country, pathogens, bugs etc could be introduced and plant species wiped out. Hiding anything like that in your luggage is a big no-no and they get confiscated if found and you could well face a fine. Search your countries plant import regs online, you should be able to find out which species, how many, and in what condition they need to be I.e. Bare root etc. Hiding them is just not worth it, luggage is X-rayed, and you fill in a card onboard asking about stuff in your baggage about plant products so you need to be truthful.

What greenclaws said. There are extremely important laws in place regarding movement of plant material. You want to follow them. Non-native introductions can wreck agriculture. You like oranges, right?

And hate kudzu.

If you're only bringing less than 12 plants you do not require an import license; More than this requires an import license. It takes about 3 weeks to obtain, it is free but it takes a lot of work! Before you travel, review plants on The CITES List. You have to scroll down to find plants. DO NOT even think about any of these! Next, as above mentioned, you will want/need a phytosanitation cert. Usually the vendor can provide for a cost or some airports have inspection stations. Plants being brought into the USA MUST be bare root and free of any soil or amendments. Even though there is a cost for shipping, it is much easier because you aren't dragging plants from location to location. The plant quantity applies here as mentioned above. If you decide to ship, bring copies of your license and green/yellow import labels. Depending on your travel destination, it might take 10 days to two weeks for plants to arrive. This usually isn't a problem for most succulents/cactus.

Having said this, I have brought plants back in my carry-on and checked bags and cleared CBP w/o inspection. I do not list them on the entry form. You pay your money and take your chances.

Thank you all for your informative responses! I do like oranges... :)

I totally understand the reasoning behind having these laws in place. I'm now imagining a zombie apocalypse lol.

I've only travelled internationally once, when I was still a kid. Details about customs are pretty hazy... I don't recall being inspected or the re-entry process. Although I'm sure laws have become stricter due to 9/11

"Usually the vendor can provide for a cost or some airports have inspection stations."
^ regarding this... I assume that it would be more cost efficient to obtain your own phyto cert?
Also, interesting discovery: I am reading that a phyto cert is not needed from Taiwan (where nursery is located) to USA here... Regardless, I think I would get a phyto cert anyway, just in case.
Also not finding any haworthia on CITES species list

You can't obtain the phyto-cert. It is a document provided by the vendor. He has someone from government come and inspect plants.

Haworthia are not an endangered species. You will need a license, if you transport more than 12 plants AND you are inspected.

What nursery do you plan on visiting or are there multiple?

Christina,

It takes upwards of three to five years for any plant or animal to be given CITES classification. The expense of field evaluation is ridiculous, plus in some cases, the cost of lobbying the UN (the slowest organization in the history of mankind). I only rely on CITES appendices when there is no other information available.

Fortunately, you can counter-check with the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species or, specifically for South African plants like haworthias, the South African National Biodiversity Institute's Red List. Some haworthias are threatened and some, like Haworthia bayeri and H. springbokvlakensis, are endangered in the wild because of farming and poaching.

So the problem is that a lot of threatened plants can not be found on any of the CITES appendices simply because they have not been classified or some interested party somewhere successfully blocked a CITES classification. A number of haworthia species are not in CITES but are actually in several red lists. CITES just hasn't caught up with field data.

But if you're importing haworthias, they're ubiquitous now and you can accumulate so many nice ones without ever having to worry about field-collected specimens, especially since the most popular ones do not even exist in the wild and are nursery-grown. In fact, you won't even have to import since there are so many local sellers. For example, I got my H. bayeri and H. parksiana--both endangered in the wild--as nursery-grown plants from Arid Lands.

If you do want to import, there are sources that are compliant with CITES and phytosanitary regulations. You won't have to smuggle plants in your luggage and you won't have to ever buy from sellers who could have poached their stock from habitat.

I'm glad you asked these questions.

Ohhh. I've totally misunderstood the point of phyto certs. I understand now. This is all very fascinating information. I've bookmarked all the links! It's important to me that I learn all I can about this topic, as someone who loves this hobby.

Howard, visitation isn't imminent or anything close to that. It's more like a passing thought on what would happen if I were to go overseas. I like to be prepared by knowing as much as I can, and use the knowledge to weigh the pro & cons. I barely have experience with international travel, let alone bringing back plants. :p

The nursery is Sun Love Nursery. In fact, I'm not sure if they allow visitation, but again, just trying to wrap my head around the whole process of purchasing plants abroad and bringing them back thru int'l flight. I have family in Taiwan, so if I were to ever visit, it wouldn't purely be just to visit the nursery... hence me saying that I'm not including cost of travel

Embothrium, it's funny that they still let a few pieces of foliage through!

Anyway... seems like I should just sit patiently and wait for Arid Lands to restock! lol. Although I'm unsure if they stock rarer/uncommon forms of h.truncata or maughanii
Or... just eat shipping costs & shipping risk, if I do decide on the int'l route...

A friend of mine orders from Sun Love all the time. He has a Facebook page, Sun Love. I just won a bid for a Haworthia and should have it in a few weeks.

Arid Lands still has tons of haworthias! Or you can also check C and D Plants. They have some nice ones. Or you can PM someone (not me) since selling isn't allowed in this forum. I totally get the anxiety of waiting for nurseries to restock!

Oh I just joined the page! The plants are so drool-worthy... Every time I'm scrolling through there I want to scream "JUST TAKE MY MONEY!!"

I've got that anxiety as well... I just can't sit still when it comes to plants. Even more stressful for me is auctions!!! So hats off to Howard for sitting through an auction lol!
The haw looks beautiful. Congrats!

Arid Lands doesn't have ones I'm interested in right now and C and D's are closed. ):
Back to waiting anxiously...

I purchased many plants from Sun Love - I paid for phyto and they made it into California with no problems. They charge a base rate for set # of plants or charge per plant, if I remember correctly.

If you go to Sun Love you need to a post a photo of their cat, haha!

Old news, but it happens every day.....

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10212688400071930&set=a.10211398958316692.1073741875.1443966615&type=3&theater

It depends on how a border is crossed and the degree of threat of becoming an invasive plant. If driving across, Canadian / US agents have never asked me if I have plants. Flying, of course, is a different story - you have to fill out forms attesting that you are/aren't bringing in plants. I would suggest telling the truth, though you will be sent to secondary and asked questions by the agricultural officer. If you're knowledgable about the plants and the threat they're not to the local environment, you should be let through with only the time of the inspection wasted.

Holy Mackerel!!!! It gets even better>............

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2016/02/cactus-thieves/470070/

Like a chapter from Orchid Fever (a great book on plant crazies - take the 'orchid' out and put 'C&S' there and it would be no different).

I'm reading through that article, Jeff, and paused just to rant about why The Atlantic seem unable to properly write down scientific names.

I know, Pags, as well as a story of Western US cactus rustling with a South American cactus pictured. Oh well - just one of those things, like having everyone and their brother sending you the same cutesy cactus cupcake picture when they see it on Facebook. We can endure.

Pagan, I have more succulent disappointment to report. SWAMBO got a swish canister of shaving cream for me - on the front, it advertised Aloe vera, on the back in the ingredients' listing, there was 'Aloe Barbadensis extract', written just like that. I'm starting a class-action suit even as we speak.

I was just about to quote Herbert Morrison but that will just add grammatically awkward fuel to the binomial fire.

I'm guessing 'Oh, the humanity' rather than 'Tories have a very warm place in their hearts for Communists and so have the Communists for the Tories.'

They did? lol

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/import-information/permits/plants-and-plant-products-permits/plants-for-planting/ct_plants4planting_faqs

Q. Do I need a permit to bring back plants from my travels abroad?
A. If you bring back 12 or fewer articles of admissible plants that have no special restrictions, you do not need a permit. However, you do need a phytosanitary certificate from the country of origin.

Q. How much does a permit cost?
A. PPQ currently charges no fees for permits, except for the General Permit to Engage in the Business of Importing, Exporting, or Re-Exporting Terrestrial Plants listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The fee is for this permit $70.00. User fees for other types of permits will be implemented sometime in the future.

To clarify the above note: As stated, the phytosanitation cert is issued by the country where plants are obtained. It has noting to do with the USDA/APHIS unless you are the EXPORTER. You will want to obtain Permit Form PPQ587 from the USDA to bring back or ship to the USA when importing more than 12 items. The PPQ 587 license is FREE, but is somewhat cumbersome to obtain. Once you obtain your PPQ 587, make application for Green/Yellow labels which are also required for shipping plant material and are also free. You will ONLY be required to have the additional license (PPQ621) mentioned above, if you wish to import CITES listed plants, etc. This license requires renewal every three years, I believe. In addition, you may have to pay the international vendor fees for their CITES application.