Importing Plants (Nursery Stock)

In addition to general requirements that apply to the import of all plants and plant products, there are a number of specific import requirements that apply to nursery stock, depending on the origin, species and type of nursery stock.

Nursery stock means plants in soil-less potting media, bulbs, corms and rhizomes and bare-rooted plants or cuttings (including budwood and scionwood), with or without leaves. It does not include tissue culture, cut flowers, seeds or bagged or bulk potting media.

Prospective importers should consult the Plant Biosecurity Manual Tasmania to verify import requirements that apply and/or contact Biosecurity Tasmania for further information.

Checklist for importing plants to Tasmania (PDF 172Kb)

Import requirements that apply to ALL nursery stock:

Import Requirement 38 Nursery Stock

Import Requirements that may apply to nursery stock:

Import Requirement 10 - Grape Phylloxera - Hosts and vectors
Import Requirement 11 - Onion Smut and Iris Yellow Spot Tospovirus (IYSV) - Host and vectors
Import Requirement 15 - Red Imported Fire Ant - Carriers
Import Requirement 22 - Lupin Anthracnose Disease - Host and vectors
Import Requirement 27 - Chickpea Blight - Hosts and vectors
Import Requirement 29 - Plants and Plant Products, other than Potatoes, from Potato Cyst Nematode infested areas within Victoria
Import Requirement 33 - Hosts of Silverleaf Whitefly and Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus
Import Requirement 46 - Tomato Potato Psyllid - Hosts and Carriers

Tissue Culture

Plant tissue culture can only be imported into Tasmania in fully sealed, sterile flasks produced in commercial tissue culture facilities. Flasks or jars of tissue culture lines produced by non-commercial operators (such as home gardeners or private individuals) are not acceptable as tissue culture imports. In addition to the above, any import of plant tissue culture must also meet Tasmania's general and any other specific import requirements for plants and plant products. In short, the flask must be properly sealed, not damaged, clean and clearly labeled or branded so that the contents and the name and address of the supplier/grower and/or packer are readily identifiable. A NoI (Notice of Intention to Import) is required for tissue culture imports and is subject to inspection on arrival.