In a message dated 5/9/2003 12:21:53 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:

Now, why has the import of bonsai from some countries been halted? Was it
because of a specific incident or was it done out of precaution?

I don't know of anyone on the list at the moment who regularly
imports. But, there was an incident recently with a boring beetle being
imported in some plants, especially Crape Myrtle to the Atlanta, GA area, as
I recall, from Mainland China.
But I thought I bought some recently imported plants from China in
Miami after that incident.
It may be that the cost due to shipping, handling and mortality has
made importing to expensive rather than illegal.
Imported plants must come in bare root and be treated with pesticides
and fungicides before the American buyer can take possession. This treatment
causes a high mortality rate among the plants.
I think I will forward the question to someone who imported pants from
China in the past.
Billy on the Florida Space Coast

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