Change in APHIS Plants/Plant Parts for Planting Procedures?
Jane McGary (Tue, 10 Dec 2019 11:10:55 PST)

Thank you to Lee Poulsen, William Aley, and others who have clarified,
or tried to clarify, this topic. All I have to say about it in public is
that this is yet another reason to grow your bulbs from seed. 20 years
ago I used to order bulbs from overseas -- fortunately, many of them are
still with me -- and did not have an import permit, but obviously the
situation has changed. If you have a kind friend who has a nursery and
an import permit, perhaps you can look at whatever list he or she is
ordering from and ask that your wants be added to their order, offering
of course to share shipping cost (which can be greater than the cost of
the bulbs).

From time to time the PBS board has discussed obtaining seeds and/or
bulbs from outside the USA for offer in the BX/SX. I think this was done
for seeds in the past; they would have been plants I don't grow, so I
don't remember much about it. The problem is that the BX manager would
have to anticipate the demand for particular items and order them months
in advance, and then live in hope that the parcel doesn't get held up at
the inspection station so long that the material becomes non-viable.

Another work-around for import restrictions is already in place with
PBS: sharing knowledge of the really vast range of plants members grow
in their own countries. This does expose you to a little annoyance if
you mention a great rarity of which you have three bulbs, but it's worth
it. (Maybe someday -- /not this year /-- I'll have enough Tulipa regelii
to share.) Our website not infrequently gets questions from non-members
in Australia or New Zealand, countries with very strict import
regulations, about where they can get certain bulbs. I post these on
this forum in the hope that some reader in their country will contact
them with the information, and in doing so, expand our community of
practice.

Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA

Showiest bulb in flower today, Crocus laevigatus

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