Bringing back plants from Italy?
 

A few months ago I received such good advice <BR>on this site for visiting gardens in Italy. <BR>I didn't, but I wonder if I could have, brought back some slips or small plants to replant here in Los Angeles. Any ideas? <BR>Next time I would like to start my own Italian garden with the real thing!

Do you remember the med fly infestation? It was because someone brought in plants from outside the US. The US Dept of Agriculture forbids bringing in any plant life. You could sneak it in, but when you read 3 months later about a virus that destroyed all the California citrus trees, you'll have to live with the guilt....

Elvira, I actually meant seeds or packaged plants. I wouldn't want to bring down Calif's economy and breathe malathion again!

If the packet of seeds says USDA inspected/approved, you're ok (this applies to tulip bulbs in Holland, doncha know). <BR> <BR>Even packaged plants are verboten; the soil can contain nasty stuff, too. <BR> <BR>I bet you can find the same plants in the U.S. if you get the Latin name (horticulturist types speak Latin, I guess) of the plant or tree. There are many speciality seed and plant companies in the U.S., so I'm sure you can recreate that Tuscan garden in your own yard! <BR> <BR>OK so it's not a piece of Italy; just bring back a caseload of wine, sit out in your fake Tuscan garden, kill a coupla bottles, you won't know the difference...

Great response, Elvira. Anyway, my friend's love affair with the olive trees in Italy resulted in his ordering a plant from a nursery in California. He loves it just as much. I'm sure you can do a search for the plants you're looking for.

Thanks for the ideas, I think I will get an oliveless olive tree and sit under it with my wine......

The USDA's general rules about bringing in plantas and animals, should anyone want them: <BR> <BR>http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ppqca/travel.htm

Nancy not that you were going to do this:) but I thought I'd add this to the topic. A few years ago while waiting for my luggage in Boston from a Rome Alitalia flight. The Custom's dog (beagle) got a hit on a man's carry-on at his feet. Upon opening his bag they took out a very small branch with a few leaves on it. The man was Italian and I assume he was just taking a "cutting" of a tree/bush/plant to a friend or relative. They just confiscated it and resumed searching. I always thought that these were just drug dogs but I guess they also sniff-out any type of plant life. Or perhaps there are two types of dogs? Regards, Walter <BR>

My mother-in-law has been visiting Italy about once a year or once every two years for the past 40 years. I have never known her to return from a trip WITHOUT bringing a cutting from a plant or two, along with cheese (yes cheese) and Torrone (which I think is the only legal one in the bunch!) She's a little old lady who's been getting away with this for years, despite everyone telling her that it's wrong. She just responds by saying "Ma, it's just a plant!" and waves her hand. Just thought you'd like to know.

Walter--You're right, there are two (or more?) types of dogs. The drug-sniffing dogs work for Customs and the US Dep't of Agriculture has its own "Beagle Brigade." (This is the kind o trivia one picks up when one has a friend whose mom used to work for Customs and gave her a couple of decks of cards like baseball cards with the druggy dogs' pictures and stats!)

Cheese is legal so long as it is not raw milk cheese aged less than 60 days.

Actually, there are lots of types of dogs. They are all trained to sniff out something different. There are bomb detection dogs, "plant" dogs, "meat" dogs, and drug dogs, and I think even they are specifically trained for different types of drugs.