Sourcing Gladiolus corms from China

Gladiolus duty and the recorded suspension

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 0601 covers dormant, growing and flowering bulbs, tubers, corms and related planting material. Dormant Gladiolus corms fall under 0601 10 40 00; growing or flowering Gladiolus stock falls under 0601 20 90 00. The table distinguishes buying forms within these same commodity lines.

For China, the standard duties are 4% and 6% respectively. Both lines record an autonomous tariff suspension at 0.00%, with no anti-dumping or countervailing measure recorded. The suspension excludes mixtures, preparations or products made up of different components containing these products. Both lines attach an organic import control; confirm its application and documentation with your customs broker before making organic claims.

Confirm dormancy, species and presentation through finding your commodity code, and ask your broker to verify the suspension for the actual shipment. For the wider heading, see the Dahlia tubers guide.

Specify cultivar, corm grade and import paperwork

Specify the botanical identity, cultivar, flower colour, corm circumference grade and whether the stock is dormant or already growing. Agree how circumference is measured, acceptable shrivelling and damage, and whether small cormlets are excluded. Ask for batch identity, treatment history and ventilated packing that protects the basal plate and growing point.

Before ordering, confirm the plant health category and any species-specific import conditions with the plant health authority. For high risk and medium risk A imports from China into Great Britain, arrange a phytosanitary certificate and advance notification, and confirm any importer registration, checks and fees with the authority. These are plant health arrangements separate from the tariff suspension.

If selling the plants online directly to customers buying for personal use in Great Britain, a UK plant passport is needed. Include this step in your sales preparation.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2,000 graded Gladiolus corms, illustrative order under 0601 10 40 00, invoiced at £6,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £6,900. Duty at 4% is £276. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £7,176, so it is £1,435.20. Import taxes total £1,711.20; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £276 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity and grade: check cultivar labels, batch references, counts and circumference against the order; appearance alone cannot confirm flower colour.

Corm condition: check firmness, shrivelling, soft patches, mould, damaged basal plates and broken growing points.

Pests and packing: inspect beneath loose outer tunics for insects, check attached soil and debris, and look for condensation or damp cartons.

Paperwork: match the botanical description and consignment details to the shipment documents. Record arrival findings using the quality inspection guide.

What goes wrong

A size description without a measurement method can conceal undersized corms or cormlets. Mixed cultivar labels may only become apparent at flowering. Damp packing can hide soft rot beneath the tunic, while premature growth leaves shoots vulnerable to handling damage.

Keep cultivar batches separate, photograph arrival defects and agree a sample growing trial before repeat orders. Check plant health paperwork before dispatch and confirm any organic documentation with your broker. A supplier's organic description or a tariff suspension is insufficient evidence that the shipment is ready to import.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.