Sourcing live plants from China

Duty and species-specific import controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 17 November 2026, heading 0602 covers other live plants, including roots, cuttings and slips, and mushroom spawn. Every supplied line carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no listed suspension. The table gives classification options, not confirmation that a particular species can be imported.

The tariff attaches organic import controls throughout the heading, CITES import and export controls to certain lines, and invasive alien species controls to some outdoor plants. It also attaches veterinary control to mushroom spawn. Confirm the organic requirements and whether the veterinary control applies to your exact spawn and substrate with your customs broker before shipment; do not assume every mushroom culture needs animal-product documentation.

Check CITES status and arrange any required permit. In England and Wales, listed invasive alien plants are subject to import and sale prohibitions; exclude them from ordinary commercial sourcing. Some plants are prohibited from entering Great Britain where import requirements cannot be met. Confirm the species, rooting state, indoor or outdoor use and pot presentation when choosing the commodity code.

Specify the species, roots and growing medium

Ask the nursery for the botanical name, cultivar, propagation method, root condition, plant height, pot size and growing-medium composition. Agree acceptable leaf damage, branching, bud stage and packing moisture. For mushroom spawn, specify the fungal strain, carrier material, batch identity and evidence of viable growth. Do not accept a common name or a catalogue photograph as the complete specification.

For imports into Great Britain, check the plant health risk category before ordering. Ask the relevant plant-health authority to confirm import-system registration, phytosanitary certification, advance notification, checks and fees for high risk and medium risk A or B goods, and the applicable plant health standard for relevant wood packaging. Confirm arrangements separately for Northern Ireland.

In England and Wales, businesses working with plants must register as professional operators. Check plant passport arrangements for your intended sales channel before committing to stock.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2,000 rooted indoor plant cuttings, excluding cacti; illustrative order, subject to species clearance under 0602 90 70 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 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £6,900, so it is £1,380. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step. This example assumes the standard rate. Plants normally used in the UK to produce edible fruit are zero-rated under HMRC's VAT Notice 701/38; check the rate for ornamental plants.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match botanical names, cultivar labels and batch references against the order and accompanying documents.

Roots and medium: check rooting, moisture, root rot, loose plugs and whether the actual substrate matches the agreed composition.

Plant condition: inspect for insects, leaf spotting, wilting, broken stems and crushed growing points; photograph problems on arrival.

Spawn and packing: check bags for damaged seals, unexpected growth and inconsistent colonisation; check plant cartons for movement and crushing.

What goes wrong

A nursery substitutes a similar-looking species, sends poorly rooted cuttings or changes the substrate without agreement. Transit damage can leave plants apparently presentable at unpacking but unable to establish. Agree how arrival condition and subsequent establishment will be assessed, and keep batch photographs.

A duty-free quotation can distract from unresolved import eligibility. Clear the exact species and paperwork before paying for production or transport. Use a pre-shipment inspection to compare the actual batch with the agreed specification.

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.