Madartej21 wrote: Can you elaborate on heating beds?

Many species can continue to set root in winter, as long as the roots are warm enough. So professional collectors use heating beds for the collected plants.

www.gov.uk/guidance/cites-imports-and-exports#charges

Have found more info but am still keen to speak with anyone who's imported material. I'll contact the APHA.

Thank you for all the information.

Opkin wrote: Unfortunately the tree in my profile isn't mine, wish it was! I take it your profile pic is yours?

Yes. It was a juniper in my father's garden. I've had it for 17 years now. It was supposed to go to an exhibition in spring, 2017, but a few weeks before that exhibition, it started to rapidly decline. It had not been doing too well before but it seemed it had recovered - apparently not. It's lost a lot of foliage and I lost complete branches. It's growing again now, and some shoots look pretty strong, but it is going to take another decade to restore it - if the problem doesn't return and if at all possible with the remaining material.

One a somewhat related topic : I am potentially looking to relocate from Singapore to the US in about a year from now. Is there a safe way to ship bonsai's across such long distances... does anyone have any experience doing so... i would hate giving up my trees when i move

Last I heard, bringing any plant material into the US involved letting the customs guys wash all the dirt off the roots and fumigation with a drying gas that is very harsh on the tree. Bringing seeds in required them to be treated similarly.

Try calling the embassy there and see if the situation has improved. Don't expect a fast answer.

Years ago in February I wrote my representative asking about seeds coming back from a trip to Japan in June.. A nice cheerful aid called me back after I had given up hope for a response. "When are you leaving?" "Tomorrow." "Oh."

She got a Department of Agriculture person and called back. Sigh.