Dominican Republic Seeds

[ZPalms]

I'm heading to the Dominican Republic next week and I'm excited to see the palms, but I might want to bring some seeds back if I find any. are there requirements or permits for bringing seeds back on the plane?

Anyone have experience with this stuff? and are the hoops to much to jump through?

[PalmsInBaltimore]

I have no experience bringing seeds back into the US through Customs, but they are treated as agriculture products and have a few hoops you will have to jump through such as ensuring they are free of pests or diseases. 1) Declare any seeds you are bringing through Customs. 2) Be prepared that without proper documentation the seeds will be confiscated and destroyed.

Basically, you're definitely not allowed to bring home seeds you picked off the ground. More info here:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/traveling-with-ag-products/plants-plant-parts

"Travelers may bring seeds of admissible herbaceous plants for planting if they meet the following conditions:

• The seeds are not otherwise prohibited, protected under the Endangered Species Act or Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or subject to any special restrictions, such as post-entry quarantine or treatment*
• You have a phytosanitary certificate issued by the National Plant Protection Organization of the country you are leaving indicating the seeds are free of pests and diseases
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspects the seeds at the first port of entry and determines they are free of pests and diseases and meet all entry requirements"

 

[PalmsInBaltimore]

It might be easier to buy seeds there and have the seller mail them to you. But of course you have to find a seller who is able and willing to get the appropriate documentation or else the package will likely be returned

[Fusca]

6 hours ago, ZPalms said:

I'm heading to the Dominican Republic next week and I'm excited to see the palms, but I might want to bring some seeds back if I find any. are there requirements or permits for bringing seeds back on the plane?

Anyone have experience with this stuff? and are the hoops to much to jump through?

I used to travel to the DR for work every three months.  Regulations were pretty soft back then so I can't offer much help with that.  But I can tell you that if you're staying in coastal tourist areas the palms you're likely to see are coconuts, Adonidia merrillii, Phoenix roebelenii, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens and maybe Roystonea regia.  You'd need to venture out with a local palm person to find the more interesting native palms.

[aztropic]

All the native rare palm species are naturally growing in the south west area of the country in extremely remote areas near the Haiti border. They are generally not seen outside of their specific habitats, except at the botanical garden in Santo Domingo. 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[ZPalms]

10 hours ago, Fusca said:

I used to travel to the DR for work every three months.  Regulations were pretty soft back then so I can't offer much help with that.  But I can tell you that if you're staying in coastal tourist areas the palms you're likely to see are coconuts, Adonidia merrillii, Phoenix roebelenii, Chrysalidocarpus lutescens and maybe Roystonea regia.  You'd need to venture out with a local palm person to find the more interesting native palms.

 

9 hours ago, aztropic said:

All the native rare palm species are naturally growing in the south west area of the country in extremely remote areas near the Haiti border. They are generally not seen outside of their specific habitats, except at the botanical garden in Santo Domingo. 

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

I am going to be in the more local areas as well as going to the coast to swim in the ocean but mainly close to Santiago and the country side, Im just looking to collect the common type palm seeds that I may come across. 🤠

[aztropic]

Just be sure to clean all the fruit off any of the seeds you want to bring back, chuck them in your CHECKED luggage,and you shouldn't have any problems. 👍

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[ZPalms]

1 minute ago, aztropic said:

Just be sure to clean all the fruit off any of the seeds you want to bring back, chuck them in your CHECKED luggage,and you shouldn't have any problems. 👍

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

haha, thats what I did for my vegas flight and seemed to work pretty good! even had a ziplock and removed all the flesh! I guess it won't hurt to try. worst thing to happen is they trash it 😂

[Jonathan]

2 hours ago, ZPalms said:

haha, thats what I did for my vegas flight and seemed to work pretty good! even had a ziplock and removed all the flesh! I guess it won't hurt to try. worst thing to happen is they trash it 😂

I've heard they make you eat them...

[Jonathan]

On a serious note, I wonder whether posting them to yourself might be a safer bet? 

[PalmsInBaltimore]

It doesn't matter what bag you put them in for an international flight because at the first airport you arrive at back in the United States you will need to pick up your checked bags BEFORE going through Customs.

The worst case scenario is that their scanner will detect organic material and some agent who doesn't know anything about palms will discover exotic looking seeds, undeclared, coming from a Caribbean country. It then depends on how nice of a day that agent is having whether they simply throw the seeds away in front of you or if they take you in the little room next to the security area and do a more thorough search of your luggage, in addition to having you explain yourself. Worst worst case you could get a fine. You have to decide if that's worth the risk for a "common type palm" whose seeds are probably available cheaply in the US anyway without having to go through all this. Just saying.

I know to us these rules seem sort of silly, but airport security and US customs agents take them very seriously. Just saying

[hbernstein]

Best strategy:

Fly to D.R., enjoy vacation.

Observe palms in D.R.

Change return ticket to stop in Miami.

Spend time in Miami harvesting seeds of all sorts of palm species, both native and exotic.

Fly home with seeds in luggage.

😉!!

[Fusca]

^^^ This!

Many more different species planted as street trees in South Florida than in the islands.  I haven't traveled international in the past decade but my last trip to Brasil I took along some Washingtonia seeds and kept them separate from the interesting seeds I collected there.  I declared that I was bringing back seeds and at customs I gave them the baggie of Washy seeds which they confiscated.  Then I passed through without issue.  🤭

[ZPalms]

I wish I could visit miami, I'm flying from NC to NYC to DR then back to NYC, even if I don't get seeds from DR, at least I got to admire the palms, If I see anything common that catches my eye I suppose I could buy the seeds online 😋