San Diego Field Office: Know before you go – flower importations for Mother’s Day

SAN DIEGO — As Mother’s Day approaches, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists remind travelers to declare all flowers and plant materials from Mexico.

Mother’s Day weekend often sees an increase in travelers bringing bouquets and greenery across the border. While these items are often intended as thoughtful gifts, they can pose a significant risk to U.S. agriculture by introducing harmful pests and plant diseases. To safeguard domestic crops and local ecosystems, plants, flowers, and soil must be screened by a CBP agriculture specialist upon entry to the United States.

CBP agriculture specialists conduct thorough inspections of all floral and plant materials at ports of entry. Inspections may involve physically shaking bouquets to detect hidden insects and using specialized tools to identify pests or signs of disease. When potential threats are found, samples are sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for further analysis using advanced identification methods.

Many flowers, such as roses and carnations, are generally admissible after inspection; however, others are strictly prohibited. For example, chrysanthemums cannot be brought into the United States from Mexico due to the risk of introducing Chrysanthemum White Rust, a destructive fungal disease. Additionally, plants intended for planting and any soil containers require proper permits.

Travelers should also be aware that greenery used in floral arrangements may carry harmful insects. Murraya, commonly known as orange jasmine, can host the Asian citrus psyllid, a pest that poses a major threat to U.S. citrus crops. If any part of a bouquet is found to be infested, the entire arrangement may be prohibited from entering the U.S. 

CBP strongly encourages travelers to declare all agriculture products, including flowers and plants, upon arrival to avoid potential penalties and protect U.S. agriculture. Even a single pest or disease introduction can cause widespread agricultural damage and result in costly mitigation efforts.

Further information regarding the importation of agriculture products, and a list of prohibited and restricted items can be found on CBP’s official website at Bringing Agricultural Products Into the United States and Know Before You Go.

Travelers can also stay informed of border crossing conditions by checking real-time Border Wait Times online or downloading the CBP Border Wait Times mobile app, which is available through the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Follow the Director of CBP’s San Diego Field Office on X and Instagram at @DFOSanDiegoCA  for breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos.