International shipping

Shipping outside the USA

!!! Due to a significant surge in international shipping rates, we are currently unable to offer shipping services beyond Canada. We are exploring options to resume international shipping in the future.

Due to international agricultural regulations, shipping live plants around the world is a complicated procedure. In order to get your dream plants, please read carefully information below.

Our shopping cart is for the US and Canada orders only. For other countries, please contact us for a quote.
Orders placed in shopping cart for countries other than USA or Canada without our prior approval will be canceled and 6% cancellation fee applied.

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CANADA. Ordering and Shipping to Canada.

SEEDS. International seed order policy.

PLANTS. International plant order policy.

ESTIMATED PRICING


CANADA: importing plants and seeds

NOTE: You can receive your plants quickly and at lower cost if you get them delivered to a U.S. address where you can pick them up and carry them across the border yourself. In this case, you are not required to have a costy phytocertificate, and only pay for the US shipping using our shopping cart.
Use FedEx Hold locations! Convenient Package Pickup at FedEx stores, Walgreens, many Dollar General Stores ( will have over 8000 locations by 2020), and other stores.

There are 4 components to Canadian shipping:

  1. Cost of the plants: see our website for pricing
  2. Phytocertificate: $90 - added automatically in shopping cart
  3. Handing: $25 - added automatically in shopping cart
  4. Cost of shipping: calculate in shopping cart

Shipping International Priority
- Orders are shipped out on Monday and usually get there by Wednesday or Thursday.
- After placing an order, please allow additional 1 to 2 weeks for processing Phyto certificate (plant inspection) and import permit peperwork.

PLANT SIZE
We can ship two sizes of plants to Canada. The smaller size is one gallon, and the larger is grown in a 3 gallon pot. Plants are shipped with potting soil attached (not barerooted).
For box dimensions 8"x8"x48", 35-45 pounds, we can ship approximately 2 of 3-gal plants or 5 of 1-gal plants.

Prices will vary based on final weight and size.

IMPORT PERMIT
There are a few plants that require a special import permit:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/plants/plant-pests-invasive-species/imports/permit-usa/eng/1343427289390/1343427392092

DUTIES AND TAXES
The customer is responsible for paying duties and taxes. Customs will call the customer directly to pay the fee over the phone.
Unfortunately we do not have a way to calculate this for you. Just an example: for a $450 order to Alberta, customs charged a $60 fee.

BROKER
The customer will be responsible for hiring a broker to handle the package through customs clearance. We must know who your broker is prior to the plants being sent out.

TIMELINE
Once we receive your order it can take up to 2 weeks to process and ship. An inspector must come out and personally look over each leaf. We try to schedule the inspection for the upcoming Thursday so we can ship out early on Monday. Phyto certificate is good for 10 days.

PLANT IMPORT REGULATIONS in Canada

Plant importation to Canada is regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Directive D-08_04 (Effective Date: November 25, 2013) In short:

  • Some plants require CITES permit: Euphorbia sp, Rubus sp, and some species of orchids.
  • Most of our plants do not require "A Permit to Import" - this permit is not required unless specified in directive D-94-14. In this case, the importer must obtain the Permit to Import prior to importation.
  • When plants are shipped to Canada, the The USDA must issue a Phytosanitary Certificate, which must accompany the consignment. Additional declarations attesting to freedom from regulated pests, including soil-borne pests may be required. You need to contact the governing agency for more info.
  • Directive D-08-4, Paragraph 4.7: Eligible houseplants originating from the continental U.S. do not require a Permit to Import nor a Phytosanitary Certificate. Houseplants are usually tropical or semi-tropical ornamental plants that are grown or intended to be grown indoors.
    In order to qualify for the exemption, the houseplants must be for personal use and must accompany the importer at the time of entry into Canada. The total number of plants must not exceed 50 houseplants. Please note that any species-specific requirement or prohibition take precedence over the houseplant import requirements outlined in this directive. The houseplant exemption does not apply to plants originating from areas that are regulated for Phytophthora ramorum (see directive D-01-01 for more information). Florida is not a Phytophthora ramorum (Sudden Oak Death) regulated area.
  • Houseplants of some plant species must comply with the CITES requirements (you can find more information here).

Seed importation to Canada is regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency: The ABCs of Seed Importation into Canada, Section K:

3.Seed analysis certificates and import declarations are not required for lots of herb seed that are 5 kg or less, or for flower seed, tree or shrub seed, true potato seed, ginseng, seeds of aquatic plants or onion/garlic multiplier sets. Please note: This exemption does not apply to wildflower mixtures. Importations of seed lots of wildflower mixtures that are greater than 500 g require an import declaration and a seed analysis certificate.
Therefore, small orders of seeds do not require any additional paperwork and can be shipped. Of course, you need to check if certain species are prohibited in Canada.

Please make sure to read rules and regulations governing plant importation to Canada. It's your responsibility to comply with these rules and regulations. Contact your local agricultural authoroties if you have questions regarding these rules.


INTERNATIONAL SEED ORDER policy

!!! Due to a significant surge in international shipping rates, we are currently unable to offer shipping services beyond Canada. We are exploring options to resume international shipping in the future.

See also General Information on ordering seeds.

  • Shipping destinations. We ship seeds internationally to most countries. Canada - see details.
  • Shipping methods and costs. We can use different shipping options listed below. Contact us if you live outside the US for most economical and accurate calculation of shipping cost. We will be adding automatic shipping calculation to our shopping cart very shortly. For APPROXIMATE cost of shipping (USPS - Priority, Express, and FirstClass with tracking support), you may refer to this calculator by using Country 2-letter abbreviations. Tracking number will be provided to you for every shipment. Time in transit is usually accurate, but total delivery time to your address can not be guaranteed in case of customs delays; it may also take extra day(s) if going far into the rural areas of the country.
    • FedEx International Priority (1-2 business days)
    • FedEx International Economy (3-5 business days)
    • USPS International Express (3-5 business days)
    • USPS International Priority (6-10 business days)
    • USPS International First Class (only to destinations where tracking/delivery confirmation available)
  • Seed cost. You may use our online shopping cart for calculation of seeds cost.
  • Additional charges:
    • $5 handling fee per International Seed order
    • $85 cost of Phyto certificate (if required)
  • Phyto Certificate. Depending on your country import requrements, Phyto Certificate may be required (at additional cost of $85). It is a customer's responsibility to provide us with Import Permit that may be requred for obtaining Phyto Certificate. Packages containing plant materials are subject of customs regulations of destination country and may be confiscated and destroyed if not accompanied by proper paperwork. Seeds without phyto certificate are shipped at customer's risk, not guaranteed to reach destination and can not be replaced or refunded.
  • Payment methods.
    • for orders less than $250: Credit card or PayPal. Do not email us your payment information! Call us with a credit card number.
    • for orders over $250: Bank transfer (we will bill you with our bank info)

What is required from a customer

All packages are subject to customs clearance and proper paperwork is of vital importance. Please make sure to find out all rules and regulations governing plant importation to your country. It's your responsibility to comply with these rules and regulations. Contact your local agricultural authoroties if you have questions regarding these rules. If something important is missed in the paperwork we prepare according to information you provide us, you may never be able to receive the shipment.

When placing international seed order, please email us with the following information:

  • List of seeds with item numbers and quantities
  • Shipping info: Name, address, contact phone number, email address
  • May be requred: Import permit (called in most countries) or "List of import requirements" for seeds for your country. Without this information, our local inspector may be unable to issue a phyto certificate that is necessary in order for you to receive your package from customs. This document may contain:
    • list of species prohibited for impoting into your country
    • specific regulations regarding packaging (example: heat sealed bags)
    • specific treatments of seeds that are necessary before importing in your country
  • Customer's consent with our Seed International Shipping Policy above.

PLANT ORDERS - INTERNATIONAL (Countries other than Canada)

!!! Due to a significant surge in international shipping rates, we are currently unable to offer shipping services beyond Canada. We are exploring options to resume international shipping in the future.

We can ship plants to many countries around the World that have a FedEx office. Below are a few most popular destinations. Please inquire if your country is not listed:

  • Canada (see details)
  • Mexico
  • South America and Central America - most countries
  • Asia (China, Vietnam, Japan, and other countries)
  • Middle East - most countries
  • Europe - most countries

Shipping methods and time in transit

We ship internationally using FedEx International Service.

  • International Priority 1-2 business days
  • International Economy 3-5 business days
  • Great Rates Line (China, Asia)

Tracking number will be provided to you for every shipment.

Total delivery time depends on several factors, incluing your local customs clearance and delivery to rural areas. Time in transit is usually accurate, but total delivery time to your address can not be guaranteed in case of customs delays. It may also take extra day(s) if going far into the rural areas of the country.

Customs clearance includes agricultural inspection and in most cases, occurs at Customs Entry Room of FedEx facility at destination, at the same business day upon arrival. If you prrefer, you may want to contact your local FedEx office and coordinate pick up of your package(s) at the Airport of destination to save extra time. Otherwise, it will be delivered by FedEx truck to your shipping address.

What is required from a customer

All packages are subject to customs clearance and proper paperwork is of vital importance. Please make sure to find out all rules and regulations governing plant importation to your country. It's your responsibility to comply with these rules and regulations. Contact your local agricultural authoroties if you have questions regarding these rules. If something important is missed in the paperwork we prepare according to information you provide us, you may never be able to receive the shipment, or plants may get damaged due to unfortunate delays.

When placing international order, please email us with the following information:

  • List of plants and seeds with item numbers and quantities
  • Shipping info: Name, address, contact phone number, email address
  • Import permit (called in most countries) or "List of import requirements" for live plants (and/or seeds) for your country. Without this information, we are unable to issue a phyto certificate that is necessary in order for you to receive your plants from customs. This document may contain:
    • list of species prohibited for impoting into your country
    • specific regulations regarding soil (example: no soil, no bark, bare rooted, etc.)
    • specific treatments of plant material that are necessary before importing in your country

Documentation included with every International shipment

  • Commercial invoice
  • Packing list
  • AirWayBill
  • Phyto certificate issued by USDA plant inspector at TopTropicals facility
  • A copy of Import permit (provided by customer)

Payment methods

  • Credit card. Do not email us your payment information! Call us with a credit card number.
  • PayPal
  • Bank transfer

Cost of international shipment

The price you pay for getting your plants delivered to you from Florida includes:

  • Cost of the plant according to our price list, less discounts if any
  • Phyto certificate: $120 per shipment (regardless of number of plants or seeds in the shipment)
  • Handling fee - preparing plants, treatments, barerooting if necessary, packaging, boxing - $5 per plant, $0.50 per seed pack
  • Shipping cost by the carrier (FedEx International) - per quote
  • Duties and taxes - can be either paid upfront or at clearance; upfront payment will help expedite your shipments through customs

Our Guarantees

We guarantee that we ship healthy, developed plants.
Our experienced personnel provides the utmost packaging of live plants.

Only selected "tough" plants are recommended for International shipping (example: Mango, Adeniums and other succulents, number of fruit trees and flowering ornamentals). Some tender species that don't ship well especially for over 1-2 days in transit, are shipped at customer risk only.

When shipped barerooted, plants are at higher risk to get stressed out and even die during transportation. We can not replace or refund items shipped internationally.
Shipping costs are not refundable. International shipping cost is much higher than domestic. Please understand the risks and feel free to discuss with us, prior to ordering, different species sensitivity and their chances to survive a long trip around the world.


Estimated pricing

Example of approximate price structure by FedEx International Priority.

Estimated for 3 gal fruit tree priced at $40. Smaller plants will have different price structure. Please contact us for accurate estimate!

Shipment contents 20 pks of seeds
$3 per pack
Bubble
envelope
1 plant
3 gal pot at $40 price
1 box 8x8x60"
15 Lbs
10 plants
3 gal pots at $40 each
5 boxes 10x10x60"
150 Lbs
100 plants
3 gal pots at $40 each
50 boxes 10x10x60"
1500 Lbs, discount 20% on plant price
Country Canada Europe China Vietnam Canada Europe China Vietnam Canada Europe China Vietnam Canada Europe China Vietnam
Items price $60 $60 $60 $60 $40 $40 $40 $40 $400 $400 $400 $400 $3200 $3200 $3200 $3200
Phyto certificate $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120
Handling $10 $10 $10 $10 $5 $5 $5 $5 $50 $50 $50 $50 $500 $500 $500 $500
Shipping cost $40 $45 $50 $55 $90 $130 $170 $180 $500 $800 $900 $1000 $3500 $6200 $7800 $8900
Duties and taxes* (approx) $0 $0 $0 $0 $5 $5 $5 $5 $40 $40 $40 $40 $500 $500 $500 $500
                                 
Total cost of your order $230 $235 $240 $245 $260 $300 $350 $360 $1110 $1410 $1510 $1610 $7820 $10520 $12120 $13220
                                 
S&H per item $8.50 $8.75 $9 $9.25 $220 $260 $310 $320 $71 $101 $111 $121 $46 $73 $89 $100
                                 
Total cost per item
(Plant price + shipping)
$11.50 $11.75 $12.00 $12.25 $260 $300 $350 $360 $111 $141 $151 $161 $78 $105 $121 $132

*Customs duties and taxes must be calculated for every invividual country