The Small Lots of Seed program is still in operation, but the permit expires after 3 years and one has to reapply. I still have to reapply. It would not help Uli get his seeds out of Portugal if their post office computer flags the local word for "seeds." However, seeds can be truthfully described in various ways. One is "Dry botanical material for research." It has worked well for me in both directions. I don't know what the key to avoiding postal algorithms is -- the scientific-sounding phrase, or perhaps just the long words! Back when photos were shared on slides (transparencies), one name you would recognize sent me seeds from the UK in packets in a plastic slide box, with actual slides on each end to make sure it rattled properly. We did not live through the 1960s for nothing. Uli's point about sharing one's uncommon plants is very well taken, and I think it's perfectly fine to ask one who has benefited from it to return a species to the original grower. I asked a couple of people whether they were still growing Fritillaria affinis 'Wayne Roderick' (also known as f. tristulis) since mine, which had provenance from Wayne, were lost in a flooding disaster; I had distributed it widely in the 1990s. I won't send a rare bulb to just anyone, but if someone I know is a good grower asks, I will. I got a big laugh yesterday when I remarked that I wasn't sharing Tulipa regelii, of which I have 2 years' worth of seedlings now, but I probably will share it soon. Don't write just yet, though. And do thank the people from whom you got seeds of your prized plants, when they are flowering at last. Plants from old stored seed of Fritillaria falcata, collected years ago with great difficulty by Ron Ratko and passed on to me via Claire Cockcroft, flowered this spring, and I was happy to be able to send Ron a photo, and to thank him in person when he visited yesterday. Jane McGary, Portland, Oregon, USA On 5/9/2021 6:17 AM, Johannes-Ulrich Urban wrote: > Quite another aspect is a new EU law requiring international customs codes for all packets leaving the EU. As soon as I put the code for seeds a window opens requiring a phytosanitary certificate which I cannot get as a non professional entity. I was sent home by the lady in the local post office when I wanted to send seed to the USA not knowing about the new rules. So...... I am looking for a solution. > > This raises another question. I have donated material of some of my favorite plants quite a few times to the BXes but I have never noticed anybody donating their offspring from the States. Please correct me if I am wrong. I find this surprising because the plants are long lived and prolific. Dioscorea discolor and Zantedeschia jucunda are just two examples. > With the new EU legislation I may not be able to donate much or even anything in the future. The reason I donate is to maintain valuable plants in cultivation and spread them, besides the joy of letting other people have a beautiful plant. So where are the growers of “my“ plants? And why did my plants never appear in the BXes apart from my repeated own donations? > > Bye for now > > Uli > > _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net>