Can I send seeds to New Zealand?

Hi everybody,
I have a friend in NZ who I would like to send some seeds out of my garden to ( I am in Canada ). She is afraid of getting in trouble for importing, or something like that. I was wondering if she is worrying for nothing? She's never bought seeds so she is not really sure.
Can I send her some safely?
Thank you all in advance
LeeAnne

I imagine it will depend what they are of.

Australia has a website where you can look up what's allowed into Oz, maybe NZ has the same.

Maybe have to wait for a Kiwi to rock up here....

This message was edited Jan 4, 2007 3:12 PM

Three gardeners, well I doubt it, as I know one must declare any seeds or plants when flying back into N.Z. and probably they are taken away and destroyed.

I googled ' importing seeds into New Zealand ' and came up with this site

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/commercial-imports/plant-imports/relevant-import-health-standards-and-application/seeds-for-sowing

II haven't read through it but it should be able to answer some of your questions or tell you who to contact for further info. If the site doesn't open, just do a google.

Good luck

The site didn't open properly but you can get into the site I was looking at if you go to ( gosh, my memory is not too good) plants and click on that if should bring you to the bit about seeds. I know you just want to post some but with all the surveillance equipment the postal services have, if you posted them, they could show up.

I have a confession to make, hope no customs officers will read this, but when I was visiting Queensland about 19 years ago, I bought a packet of poached egg plant seeds. Had to fill in the custom declaration on the plnae and saw that if my memory serves me right in this instance, that seeds, plants, fruit and veegetables were prohibited from entry into N.Z. I did not declare them, got through customs but never could bring myself to plant them and eventually threw them out!! I did not want to be the person who brought some new strain of something unwanted into our country.

Best to contact Bio Security N.Z.by email at the address they give and feel confident that everything is above board.

They say confession is good for the soul and I am glad I never planted them and anyway I saw the same plant seed packet in our local supermarket but the memory of the nervousness I felt as I went through customs has put me off them Lol

Gardeners do love to share their plants and seeds to each other, my garden has many cutting from friends, whenever I look at them, the friend who gave it to me is always in my mind. The lovely yellow Coreopsis and the purple Penstemon were given me by a gardening friend.

If you do make enquiries would love to know how you got on.

oooh...ferrymead...I love those purple penstemons. LOL...can you send seeds out of NZ?

Maybe I'm thinking it would be easier to find someone there to send her seeds..I just wanted to send her some of my nicotiana, cause they smell soooo nice at night.

Thanks for the help though.
LA

Three gardeners, I think the bio security regulations would be the same for any country for home gardeners. The commercial seed sellers would be able to export but would have to comply with seeds allowed in. They would have to be inspected and certified disease and virus free by The N.Z. Agricultural Dept.

We grow Calla tubers commercially which are exported and soil samples have to be taken by an officer of that Department and sent away for testing. A license to export is then issued if the tests are clear and then inspectors for the export firms who sell our tubers, come and inspect the crop as it is growing.

Funny thing but I planted some Nicotiana seedlings in my garden a month ago, so the plants are available here. Just starting to bloom so I must take a walk out in the evening and have a sniff. They are a dwarf variety so I will have to get down on my knees. Lol.

ferrymead,many rules have changed over the last few months,once again,it depends on what you are sending..i went as far as gaining approval to import small seed quantities[to tasmania],just to appease my hobby lust[liliums]..check NZ import laws again.