to ask about taking flora to another country?

[PleaseMrCuster]

Hi Mumsnetters
.
I hope to travel to visit my relative in South Africa next year.

I have a plant in my garden which has grown after taking a cutting from our (now deceased) fathers hydrangea.

My relative has asked me to bring a cutting, so that they too can have part of a plant that was treasured by our dad.

I readily agreed, but since then, I have learned that a permit may have to be obtained in order to do this, as it's something to do with soil?

However, it I just took a cutting (s) without including any soil, would that be allowed without a permit?

Obviously I would've preferred to take a cutting well before traveling, put it in compost, and making sure it "took", else it's chancey hoping a soil free cutting might take once I've got to my relatives home.

I've tried searching the internet, but can't find anything that specifically instructs on what/how/if.

So if anyone who's reading this has knowledge on the subject, and would be happy to advise me, that would be great.

I am NOT going to chance putting it in my suitcase, to maybe get fined and or refused entry into the country.

Tia 🙏🏻

My Mam used to wrap packs of bacon up and roll in newspapers to send in between the pages of The Guardian and/or Telegraph to send to her sister in Newspaper Wrappers forty ot so years ago. Maybe try something like that...

I think you'd need a phytosanitary certificate to take it into SA which seems to cost quite a lot of money. They test the plant for bugs, diseases, fungi etc.

For avoidance of doubt I was being sarcastic and NOT recommending this!

Some people will go to any lengths for bacon 😁. My friend used to sew hers inside her little son's teddy to smuggle it into Saudi Arabia.

Thought why would someone want to take flora butter to another country

@sarsaparillatree said you need a phytosanitary cert I used to buy seeds from SA and paid via the nursery for the certs but never imported there. The fees can be quite high, you might not want to pay the best part of £400 for a cutting

I've always found APHA very helpful with questions over the years, I don't deal with them regularly but they might be worth contacting for advice.

www.gov.za/services/export-permits-import/phytosanitary-permit

If you took a cutting you would have to declare it when you entered SA or you risk fines. It's not just soil it plants and seeds and it's biosecurity generally.
If you do declare it I can't work out if there's some things they will let though or whether it will be binned. It's worth a go though.

Don't think about bringing it and not declaring it. If their bio security is anything like it is here in NZ they'll find it.

Not me here thinking this is about smuggling buttery spread abroad.

If the country requires a permit then no you can not take a cutting in your luggage. This is probably because any invasive seeds, pests or diseases brought with it might wreak havoc on the local ecosystem. You will likely be asked by customs to confirm that you are not trying to import items on their banned list. If you lie and then get caught, you will be in a lot of trouble.

Look on the SA government website for incoming travellers. They'll tell you how to get a certificate, or if it's a point blank no.

You can't without paying good money for a permit.

A big thank you to all who’ve posted in response to my question.

I’ve found the SA site, and I’ve shared it with my relative to whom I hope to visit.

I don’t think, bearing in mind the probable high cost of a permit, that I’ll be able to take the cutting with me.

while I can understand the caution behind the permit, I am disappointed not to be able to share the plant.

it makes me wonder why all travellers don’t have to put their shoes through a “sheep dip” kind of thing at the airport…. after all, who knows what contaminates are in the dirt stuck to (some) peoples footwear. 🤔🤦‍♀️

Ah well, thanks again.

You do in NZ if you are wearing walking boots or have them in your luggage!

When we moved here our camping equipment was removed from our shipping container and washed by Biosecurity!

It’s more to do with the creatures hitching a ride in the soil, or fungi or pests on the plant itself

Oh gee wow, to the poster who moved to NZ...

I was suggesting the shoe clean thing as a tongue in cheek thing.

I never imagined that it was a requirement in real life!

Thanks for bringing me a (wry) smile 😃

Same here but to US, and Kennedy sausages!

It may seem OTT but if you consider how much damage invasive plant species have done & are doing to the UK - looking at you bamboo, Himalayan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed etc - you can understand why countries now need to protect their ecosystems.

And animals brought in by mistake like the New Zealand flatworm that eats our earthworms.

Thanks all for pointing out why a permit is necessary.
So what I can’t understand is why such a huge charge to obtain a permit?
The charge does not seem proportionate to a small request such as mine.
If I were wanting to bring a lorry load of plants into the destination country, as a business, that would seem fair, but for one little part of a plant, surely a tiered system of charges would be better.
I do realise it’s prob a case, of thems the rules suck it up, or leave the plant behind.
Also I’m having trouble find a list of banned items to bring into South Africa.
So if I wanted to take chocolate and sweets to my family, I’d like to know if I’m doing the right thing, and not face fines or worse, not being allowed to enter South Africa.
Gee, it’s seems like I’m naive and it’s like navigating a minefield.
I have not traveled for about fourteen years, and when I did is was only a country within Europe…. I’m not happy with myself at all, as I now feel stupid for not being aware of what isn’t allowed into South Africa.
🤷‍♀️

You would need to check with the airline too to see if they allow plants and food products on their planes. The country might allow it, but the airline may not.

Getting a permit isn't as simple as just applying for it and getting it. There are rules and standards that need to be met. You would have to have the plant inspected and tested to ensure it is free from diseases. They will only grant a permit if it is declared safe and not on their banned list. It is aimed at businesses, not individuals wanting to bring a single plant into the country.

Have you ever accidentally planted mint or catnip in your garden. Go for it and let us all know how that worked out. I’ve been battling garlic mustard for years and only after poisoning the soil and paving over a portion of my yard have been able to get ahead of it.

Packaged and sealed foods are generally fine. A can or plastic bag full of some mystery food is generally not ok.

The biosecurity of an entire country is worth far more than a tiny plant cutting. You are being incredibly naive, OP.

Hey! I've admitted to being naive, so there's no need to pile it on, is there?

It's great for you that your so intelligent and in touch with the modern world.

You know nothing about my life and why I'm out of touch...

I'm so sorry that you felt the need to post as you did.

It has nothing to do with being ‘in touch’ with the modern world. Invasive species and immigration rules + regulations to combat them are not a new thing in the slightest. If you really felt that there was nothing wrong with bringing foreign flower cuttings to a different continent then you wouldn’t have been asking MN how to hide them..

We used to take a small quantity of bacon back to Kuwait from England when we lived there. No smuggling - just declared it, and were always allowed it. Tried it once with a bottle of wine but that was taken away (and probably drunk by the customs officers once they were out of sight).

Belle of Belfast

I apologise that you got the idea I was asking how to hide my cutting.

I never meant to give that impression at all as I wouldn't dream of sneaking anything.

I wonder if you think you know me, and you're enjoying having a pop.

I am definitely NOT intending any unlawful action.