Hi folk! I'm a life-long Lilium addict living in Australia and have just become interested in daylilies.

I was hoping some of you may have had experience with sending daylily seed to Australia. I'd dearly love to buy seed internationally, but we have such a convoluted quarantine system here (just try finding a simple answer on the AQIS website - I dare you!), that I thought I'd ask daylily lovers directly.

I haven't noticed any posters from Aus here, but if any are around - do you have experience importing seed? Any of you wonderful north American growers sent seed to Aus? What was required? What happened?

Well... and if there's nothing to share on that topic, just 'Hi' anyway. And thanks.

Hi Della! Sorry, I can't answer your questions, so I'm just here to say hi! I sure hope that someone can give you the answers that you need! There are many helpful people here, and many sell seeds, so hopefully someone has sent some to Australia at some point!

I sure hope so too, thanks for the welcome ^^. Seeing so many enthusiastic, helpful growers sharing info in one place sure is encouraging.

Della....

You might want to send a Tree Mail to 'Roseseek'. He has experience sending rose seeds to Australia and is fully aware of what is required.

http://garden.org/users/profil...

He's very open to helping people with these kinds of issues.

Smiles,
Lyn

Cheers Lyn.

According to the Icon site, it would seem that they are allowed but that conditions have to be me (phytosanitary cert, inspection, permit etc).

http://apps.daff.gov.au/icon32...

This is where I start running in circles... one taste of that bureaucratese language and endless scrolling of 'may/may not apply/be relevent/so what does that all mean practically and who do I contact?' ugh... wall of text, and my brain goes dormant. If I can find the distilled version and step by step instructions, I'll be happy.

But all kudos and thanks for even searching our departmental website - you're braver than I!

(hmm... and that refers only to species - wonder what they want hybrid crosses indentified as?)


edit: Oh man... is it really a bad sign that I've tried reading that page and feel none the wiser? Am I the only one who can't make head nor tail of it? O.o

Ok, I lied, I read to quickly. It actually looks like you need very little to import small lots of seeds as an individual.

Importer’s Responsibilities

1. An Import Permit is not required.

2. Genetically Modified seeds must be accompanied by a copy of a valid Import Permit. All applications must be forwarded to DAFF Plant Programs, Canberra along with detailed information regarding the mode of genetic modification and the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) registration number.

3. It is the importer’s responsibility to check state and local government requirements to ensure that the seed is permitted entry into that state/territory.

4. For commercial consignments of seed, the importer must contact the DAFF regional office in the port of entry to confirm all arrangements for inspections and treatments.

5. The importer is responsible for payment of all associated DAFF fees and charges.

6. Seed must be free of live insects, soil, disease symptoms, prohibited seeds, other plant material (e.g. leaf, stem material, fruit pulp, pod material, etc.), animal material (e.g. animal faeces, feathers, etc.) and any other extraneous contamination of quarantine concern.

7. All consignments imported into Australia for all end uses must meet the DAFF standards for seed contaminants and tolerances. There is a nil tolerance for prohibited seeds.

8. Each shipment must be packed in clean, new packaging, clearly labelled with the full botanical name (i.e. genus and species).

9. Packets of seed containing mixed genera or species are not permitted entry due to difficulties in inspecting them for contaminants. However, where the Quarantine Officer is able to determine that the packet(s) of seed consists of blends or mixes of traits (such as colour or size) of the same species then the seed may be permitted entry provided that all other conditions of import are met.

Note: Importers wishing to import packets of seed containing mixed genera or species must obtain prior approval from DAFF. All applications must be forwarded to DAFF Plant Programs, Canberra.

10. Pelleted seed of permissible flower, vegetable, herb and pasture/forage seeds may be permitted entry provided that the pelleted seed was commercially produced and packaged and pelleting was carried out using inert material only. See the Pelleted Seed conditions below for further details on requirements and conditions of entry.

I sent an e-mail to their international mailing and import website - I will post if I get a reply.

Thanks for helping me procrastinate tonight!

Thanks for deciphering that numbing document! A legendary effort in my books

JWWC is a legend in my book too!

Wow! Now I wish that I had some seeds to share because I'd send you some as a gift! I just gave all of my extra seeds to my Dad, who was actually in Australia last year! I could have sent them on the plane with him if I had know about this before! Then he could have gotten arrested going through customs, and would have been a legend in our family! He did get a speeding ticket in the mail when he got back home, so that was close enough!

I was asked to answer your question, but truthfully I don't have any suggestions, I know that Tassie has much stricter quarantine on plants than NSW, and I don't even know about seed imports to NSW from overseas as I always just assumed you couldn't. Are you interested in species Hemerocallis? I imagine they'd come true from seed, unlike the hybrids. If you are into the hybrid daylilies, there are some excellent sellers in Australia, but I'm not sure if they all ship to Tasmania. This company says they do, and they are really great to deal with, I've bought from them several times:
http://www.daylily.com.au/

Sorry I couldn't help with the importing seeds question.

Hi Handed :)

I've found Mountain View Daylily Nursery, and received plants a few weeks ago. Very generous! It is really hard finding anyone that will post plants to Tasmania, but I'm a seed-sowing fanatic and have hybridised Lilium for years... seeds are so much more exciting than clones... you just never quite know what you'll get - except for an incredible rush on first seeing the face of a new flower! I'm sure daylily hybridists get that same rush

Natalie said:JWWC is a legend in my book too!

Wow! Now I wish that I had some seeds to share because I'd send you some as a gift! I just gave all of my extra seeds to my Dad, who was actually in Australia last year! I could have sent them on the plane with him if I had know about this before! Then he could have gotten arrested going through customs, and would have been a legend in our family! He did get a speeding ticket in the mail when he got back home, so that was close enough!

That's our police force. Never miss a chance to raise revenue.

No worries, we have friendly sniffer dogs too, for all those seeder's stuffed pockets. Not even the in-flight peanuts get past them! Well... actually... :whistling:

I'm wondering how to restrain myself from letting loose on the LA now. Just checked it out

Della, my dad would have gladly accepted the speeding ticket if it had been handed to him! He was caught on camera in the middle of nowhere! He wrote a nice letter to the judge, and they were nice enough to forgive it. The funny part is that my Dad drives so slow that it makes us all crazy! He used to be a race car driver until I was about a year old, which makes it even funnier to the rest of us! He's 73, but not an old man by any stretch of the imagination. He just likes to drive slow so that he can see everything. There must have been nothing at all to look at when he was driving that day!

I have never been on the LA. I don't dare go on there! I hope you are stronger than I am! Maybe it will be easier for you since you'll need to find a seller that ships internationally. Keep the rules handy though, in case you do buy something, so you can let the seller know that it should be okay to send seeds without too much work.

Hi Dellac - Lilyauction seller, Rich, ships seeds internationally. You can email him to inquire about Australia via ctdaylily AT yahoo dot com

If you go to this link, and scroll down to the Board of Directors to Region 2, you will find contact info for Giesla Meckstroth. She does a thing each year for international seed exchange. I am sure she could help you.
http://www.daylilies.org/AHSof...

Thanks so much dormantsrule and Juli, I'm following those suggestions up. Rather excited by the new adventure!

Natalie, it's amazing just where and how they hide and disguise speed cameras here. Add that to the very poorly signed speed limit zones and you catch all those drivers pottering along at 85 in an 80 zone, blissfully unaware it isn't a 100 zone. But we know the tourists are taking it slow ;)

I have no international customers in Australia but I do have one from New Zealand and she had to contact someone in her government for assistance on buying seeds from me. She obtained a letter that she emailed me and I have to include this letter in every package that I send to her. The letter mentions that the daylily seeds are all direct descendants of species daylilies or something like that. Found the letter and here is what it says:

To whom it may concern:

Please find enclosed Hemerocallis hybrid seeds. These seeds are from Hererocallis hybrids, cultivars that are the result of selected crosses between the following Hemerocallis species:

H. Citrina
H. Altissima
H. Flava
H. Fulva
H. Plicata
H. Nana

I am a specialist Hemerocallis breeder and have created these seeds myself. I have inspected them, and they are free from contaminants. They have not been treated with a fungicide as seeds have been air dried for 48 hours. These seeds are being sent to a private gardener, (customers name here) . If you have any queries, please contact this customer (customers name and phone number).

Yours sincerely,

Sellers name and phone number.

Good news!

This was the response I received a short time ago.

Thank you for your enquiry about sending daylily (Hemerocallis) seeds to Tasmania.

Daylily seeds are permitted without an import permit provided they are:

a) Packed in clean, new packaging, clearly labelled with the full botanical name (i.e. genus and species).

b) Free of live insects, soil, disease symptoms, prohibited seeds, other plant material (e.g. leaf, stem material, fruit pulp, pod material, etc.), animal material (e.g. animal faeces, feathers, etc.) and any other extraneous contamination of quarantine concern.

c) Not seeds containing mixed genera or species. Mixed seeds are not permitted entry due to the difficulties of inspecting them for contaminants. Importers wishing to import packets of seed containing mixed genera or species must obtain prior approval from DAFF. All applications must be forwarded to DAFF Plant Programs, Canberra (horticulture/[email protected]).

d) Not genetically modified seeds. Genetically modified seeds must be accompanied by a copy of a valid Import Permit. All applications must be forwarded to DAFF Plant Programs, Canberra along with detailed information regarding the mode of genetic modification and the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) registration number.


If on inspection, insects, soil or any other contaminates are found the item must undergo treatment at a cost of $42.50 to the consignee and the consignee will be notified by DAFF before any treatment is carried out. Once payment and treatment has been completed, the items will be handed back to Australia Post for delivery. Please note this treatment fee applies to items imported via the regular postal service. Goods imported via an air express carrier may incur additional fees for inspection and/or treatment. For more information please see the following link to the Department of Agriculture webpage Air Express Carrier Fee and Charges


All mail items entering Australia are screened and if items of quarantine concern are identified they will require inspection. It is important that all declarations on mail parcels are true and provide sufficient detail about the goods inside. Senders will receive an opportunity to list all the contents of a parcel on the Customs Declaration form available from post offices worldwide.


I hope this is of assistance to you. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Regards

oh wow - you guys are super helpful. I'm almost rolling around in happiness here

That letter template perfectly addresses the Customs need to have everything described accurately to genus and species. Perfect. Gah. hugs!