Plants

[Smudger]

Can someone please give me clarifictaion of what plants I can bring from the UK into France, if any. Can I take potted plants for my garden or cuttings etc. The price of plants in France seems rather high so I was going to drive some over if possible.

[alittlebitfrench]

Are they more expensive ?

If you find a local agricultural college who sell their plants nearly at cost I am sure they will be a lot cheaper than the UK.

In terms of your question....I have no idea. I can't see why it would be a problem.

[andyh4]

Oh dear ALBF you have really let yourself down badly there.

There are extensive limitations on what can and cannot be brought into France. Most it must be said are exotic and rare plants prohibited in order to preserve the remaining stocks of the plants in their natural environment.

Others however are prohibited to avoid importation of plant disease, parasites etc.. A further group to avoid the plants taking over and destroying natural Flora (Japanese Knotweed would be a good example).

A Google search for

BCFDGDDI02015

will give a good starting point provided you read French.

[Judith]

MAFF, or whatever it is now called, has information on this subject - lists of what you can and cannot import / export ....

[Pierre ZFP]

MAFF is now DEFRA but they only concern themselves with stuff entering UK and protected plants that you can sell only with a license.

I am assuming there is the French equivalent somewhere?

[andyh4]

Yes there is Pierre and their missive is given in the name I gave above.

This is an automatic pdf download, so I cannot post a link to the document.

When I last checked the rules as well as the obvious suspects, I was surprised to find things like Rhododendron, Vibernum and Cotoneaster. The first two are potential carriers of sudden oak death - which is found in the West of England.

[Loiseau]

Oh dear, well I can expect to be clapped in irons any moment then, as I sometimes drive to France with obvious bits of greenery and cuttings en route from one garden to another. ?

In fact when we planted up the current French garden 25 years ago, we brought £1k or more of plants from a Cornish nursery, layered on trays in trailer and car, and with all relevant paperwork in triplicate certifying everything free of disease etc, and nobody at Roscoff could be bothered to look.

Angela

[andyh4]

Rules change Angela depending on circumstances. My guess is that Sudden Oak Death was not around 25 years ago; and further if you had certified plants then different rules can apply.

But if you are really worried you could always hand yourself over to the douanes.

[Loiseau]

??? LOL andy! Don't suppose they could be bothered either!