FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Do you need a CITES permit to import Venus Flytraps into the US from other contries, like Germany?

Search for Dionaea (genus) muscipula (species) here:
http://www.cites.org/eng/resources/species.html
You'll see this entry

CITES Appendix II
All parts and derivatives, except:
a) seeds, spores and pollen (including pollinia);
b) seedling or tissue cultures obtained in vitro, in solid or liquid media, transported in sterile containers;
c) cut flowers of artificially propagated plants; and
d) fruits and parts and derivatives thereof of artificially propagated plants of the genus Vanilla.

CITES Appendix II
Designates all parts and derivatives, except:
a) seeds, spores and pollen (including pollinia); and
b) tissue cultures and flasked seedling cultures.

Here is a link to what an Appendix II listing means:
http://www.cites.org/eng/app/index.shtml

Appendix II lists species that are not necessarily now threatened with extinction but that may become so unless trade is closely controlled. It also includes so-called "look-alike species", i.e. species of which the specimens in trade look like those of species listed for conservation reasons (see Article II, paragraph 2 of the Convention). International trade in specimens of Appendix-II species may be authorized by the granting of an export permit or re-export certificate. No import permit is necessary for these species under CITES (although a permit is needed in some countries that have taken stricter measures than CITES requires). Permits or certificates should only be granted if the relevant authorities are satisfied that certain conditions are met, above all that trade will not be detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild. (See Article IV of the Convention)

So no, you don't need a CITES permit for Venus fly traps. However, you will need a phytosanitary permit for them unless they are in sterile cultures (tissue cultures, aka in vitro). You'll also need an import permit if you plan on importing more than a few plants. I've spoken with Carolyn Fitzgerald at the USDA office and I remember the magic number of plants to be 12. If you're importing more than 12 plants, you need an import permit.

Thanks that helped!

Sounds like Jun and I could get 24 types from you without an import permit... 12 each.

Haha! Awesome! Matt, let me know when you can import some of your sterile cultures to me. I am willling to pay and send some of my cultures for trade too. I think you got all that I have so I'll just pay.

Adam, if you want we can do a group order to Matt for the sterile cultures. I can harden them first for 2-3 weeks then send it off to you. We can split on the payment and plants. Let me know.

hb

I'm game. Keeping it at the magic number 12 per person should save a lot of work and money...

hackerberry wrote:Haha! Awesome! Matt, let me know when you can import some of your sterile cultures to me. I am willling to pay and send some of my cultures for trade too. I think you got all that I have so I'll just pay.

Adam, if you want we can do a group order to Matt for the sterile cultures. I can harden them first for 2-3 weeks then send it off to you. We can split on the payment and plants. Let me know.

hb

I just sent you a PM Jun. We'd discussed this a long, long time ago and I've been so tied up with so many things lately that I hadn't gotten around to following up with it. I'm still keen on the idea of having you run a FlytrapStore Canada. We'll have to discuss that more.

Adam wrote:I'm game. Keeping it at the magic number 12 per person should save a lot of work and money...

I'm not sure what the limit for Canada is. The 12 per person limit is for the US. You'd have to contact the Canada Department of Agriculture (or whatever the equivalent is there in Canada) and ask them what their import rules are. You may not even be limited to 12 per person.

Ok will do!

What about other Cps do they need permits?

PitcherPlanter wrote:What about other Cps do they need permits?

Any plant that is crossing international borders will probably need paperwork with it. The only exception that I know of is sterile cultures.

Hi Matt,
A question for you, make sure that I understand correctly and correct me if I am wrong. I want to buy some nepenthes seeds from Indonesia and orchid seeds from Thailand. I will not have problem with CITES right?
Kinh

Hello Kihn,

I can answer that. No permits required for importing/exporting seeds as long as it's not weed.

hb

Thanks HB, Sure it's absolutely not weed, hehe

hackerberry wrote:I can answer that. No permits required for importing/exporting seeds as long as it's not weed.

As long as they don't know

Just come to think of something and need to know iff it should work lol just for fun.. Could I lay a VFT from a pot
clean it some and put it in a TC tube and just use water and agar for medium :p and just play that it is invitro ? :p heeh