Sourcing preserved moss and foliage from China
Foliage, branches, grasses, mosses and lichens for bouquets or decoration from China, fresh or preserved, pay 0% UK duty on all 9 lines of heading 0604, with no anti-dumping duty. Plant products are imported under plant health risk categories that decide whether you need a phytosanitary certificate, and preserved moss must be checked for colour fastness, moisture and mould.
Preserved moss, dried grasses, foliage and branches for decoration from China pay 0% UK duty. Plant health, colour fastness and moisture checks explained.
0% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 0604 covers foliage, branches and other parts of plants, without flowers or flower buds, and grasses, mosses and lichens, of a kind suitable for bouquets or ornamental purposes, fresh, dried, dyed, bleached, impregnated or otherwise prepared. All nine leaves carried 0% on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure, no registration and no suspension.
Artificial foliage is heading 6702 (see our artificial flowers and plants guide); confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reindeer moss, fresh | 0604 20 11 00 | 0% | None |
| Other mosses and lichens, fresh | 0604 20 19 00 | 0% | None |
| Christmas trees, fresh | 0604 20 20 00 | 0% | None |
| Conifer branches, fresh | 0604 20 40 00 | 0% | None |
| Other foliage, fresh | 0604 20 90 00 | 0% | None |
| Reindeer moss, dried or prepared | 0604 90 11 00 | 0% | None |
| Other mosses and lichens, dried or prepared | 0604 90 19 00 | 0% | None |
| Other foliage and grasses, dried only | 0604 90 91 00 | 0% | None |
| Other foliage and grasses, dyed or preserved | 0604 90 99 00 | 0% | None |
Plant health
GOV.UK guidance on importing plants and plant products from non-EU countries to Great Britain sets out risk categories. High risk and medium risk A goods need IPAFFS registration, a phytosanitary certificate from the exporter, ISPM 15 wood packaging, pre-notification, checks and fees; medium risk B goods need a phytosanitary certificate and ISPM 15 packaging. Check the risk category for fresh, dried and preserved material before ordering.
Specifying moss and foliage
Specify the plant and part, fresh, dried or preserved, the dye and preservative used, colour and shade reference, moisture content, stem length or cluster size, pest and soil freedom, and packing that keeps preserved material from crushing and damp.
Worked duty example
Take a hypothetical order of 2,000 boxes of preserved reindeer moss, entered under 0604 90 11 00: £6,000 free on board plus £900 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £6,900. Preserved moss carry no duty, so import VAT of 20% on £6,900, £1,380, is the only tax. A VAT-registered importer normally reclaims it, so the border adds no lasting cost. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.
Inspection checklist
Condition: check colour against the approved sample, softness, breakage and shedding.
Moisture and mould: check for damp cartons, mould and insects, and that no soil is attached.
Colour fastness: rub a sample on white cloth and check that dye does not transfer.
What goes wrong
Moss and foliage orders fail on moisture, colour and paperwork. Preserved moss goes mouldy in a humid container, dye rubs off onto walls, colour varies between batches, and plant health documents are missing at the border.
Test samples before shipping. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources preserved moss and decorative foliage for UK florist, interiors and moss wall buyers, checking the processor first. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on preserved moss from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, every line of 0604, including preserved moss, carried 0% from China.
Do I need a phytosanitary certificate?
It depends on the plant health risk category of the goods; high and medium risk goods need one.
Is artificial moss in heading 0604?
No. Artificial foliage is heading 6702.
What fails most often?
Mould from moisture in transit, dye that rubs off and colour differences between batches.