So you want to import a rare monstera from Thailand but aren’t sure that it will make it through customs?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is the country’s national plant protection organization, and it regulates how plants enter and leave the country. The Star spoke with Patricia McAllister, a national manager with the CFIA to see what people need to do to ensure their plants make it to Canada safely. Answers have been condensed and paraphrased unless directly quoted.

Can I buy a rare plant from overseas and have it shipped to Canada?

First, check to see if your plant is on the CFIA’s Horticulture Plant List. This is a list of plants considered low-risk that may be imported as long as you meet basic requirements. Some of the internet’s hottest plants — monsteras, philodendrons and anthuriums — are allowed.

What are the basic requirements?

You need to get an import permit from the CFIA through its online portal and the plant’s seller needs to make sure there is a phytosanitary certificate from the country of export. The plant needs to be free from soil, plant parts and other debris. “All plant movement is essentially regulated under the International Plant Protection Convention,” McAllister says. “Essentially the goal is if you have a pest, keep it, if you don’t have a pest, don’t let anyone send it to you. It really is about preventing the movement of pests between countries with plant material.”

What is a phytosanitary certificate?

It is a plant passport. It shows who grew the plant, where it is travelling to, where it originated from, and it confirms that the plant meets Canada’s requirements. Only a National Plant Protection Organization can issue a phytosanitary certificate. (In Canada, the CFIA issues these certificates for people who are exporting plants to other countries. If you’re planning to export a plant, contact your local CFIA office for next steps.)

What happens if my plant doesn’t have this paperwork?

Your plant could be destroyed or returned to its country of origin. If you’re buying from an international seller, it’s wise to confirm they are sending a phytosanitary certificate from their country with your plant. An import permit from the CFIA must be issued before your plant leaves its country of origin. “You don’t want to pay for (your plant) and have it taken away when we’re doing inspections on points of entry,” says McAllister.

What about endangered plants?

Endangered plants are managed through Environment Canada. Certain plants have CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) restrictions and need to have CITES documentation in addition to the other paperwork. Monstera is not on the CITES list, although certain types of orchids are.

What about bringing plants into Canada from the continental United States?

A: If you’re driving into Canada from the U.S. with your plants, the Canadian government has a personal exemption that allows you to bring up to 50 houseplants without paperwork as long as they are for personal use. The list of eligible plants is on the CFIA website.Generally, tropical and semi-tropical plants that can’t survive outside in Canada, and have thus been deemed low-risk, are exempt.

For smoother sailing at the border, McCallister says, it might help to print off the information about the exemption and your plant, in case a border agent needs more details. The exemption doesn’t apply to houseplants that originate outside of the U.S., and it doesn’t apply if you’re ordering plants from the U.S. by mail. (In that case a permit to import is not required, but a phytosanitary certificate is.) The Americans discontinued their side of this exemption several years ago, so you can’t drive 50 houseplants into the U.S.

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What if I buy a plant from a seller based in Canada?

No paperwork is required.