AusBonsai

I've just bought 50 Japanese black pine seeds off eBay for $3.48 (with free postage). The seller is in Shanghai. I have no idea whether the seeds will be of acceptable quality or not, what germination result6s to expect, or how reputable the seller really is. It's just a punt based on price alone.
Here's a link yo the eBay listing:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/400670887874 ... 1497.l2649

Will they not be destroyed due to quarantine restrictions? (Provided customs or whoever find them)

If customs pick them up, they'll destroy them and probably send you a warning. From what I know they can't be imported in Australia without a permit

This thread explains it... its old, but think it still stands: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=10238

That being said... custom's do miss a lot

Everyone's correct, if custom gets them they're gone.

I purchased about 20 seeds from an Aussie seller for the same type of price with 100% germination so I was happy with the locals.

Cheers.

Also worth having a look around the forums, somebody was giving them away or selling them really cheap not that long ago, if I remember rightly

This should not be about customs getting the seeds. there is a ban on importing pine seed for a reason - Several virulent pine diseases which we do not have in Aus can travel on seed. this is about keeping all our bonsai and the pine plantations of Australia safe from even more diseases and pests. we now have Myrtle rust here because some fool imported material illegally. How many more problems do we need??

I would urge you to cancel the order or destroy the seeds if they arrive - for everyones sake.

There is a seller on eBay called the seedstore, they are Aussie based and stock a large range of seed, both native and exotic, prices are good and so are germination rates in my experience

shibui wrote:This should not be about customs getting the seeds. there is a ban on importing pine seed for a reason - Several virulent pine diseases which we do not have in Aus can travel on seed. this is about keeping all our bonsai and the pine plantations of Australia safe from even more diseases and pests. we now have Myrtle rust here because some fool imported material illegally. How many more problems do we need??

I would urge you to cancel the order or destroy the seeds if they arrive - for everyones sake.

I think this is a tad over-dramatic. Here are my reasons:
1 Pine seeds have (until recently) been imported countless times into this country over the last century with no apparent problem but all of a sudden for some reason they are totally banned.
2 I bought 500 white pine seeds from an Australian dealer who legally imported them in 2000. If necessary they can easily be treated for just about any disease or pest.
3 Botanic Gardens all over the world are continually sending each other material which does not go through a very vigorous quarantine proceedure (in ANY)
4 What's to stop me from walking through northern hemesphere pine forest and bring home spores, mites, and god knows what in my cloths or on my shoes. Where are all the diseases?
5 Nowdays there are millions of Phalaenopsis orchids imported directly from Taiwan which go stright to the nurseries without any quarentine period AT ALL!! (money talks)
6 The paranoia pushed by Aquis about deadly diseases comming in and destroying life the way we know it is a bit of a joke.
Mainly designed so as to be able to charge outrageaous prices for inspection etc. With the millions of world travellers coming and going from all over the place every year, nothing has yet happened.
7 For years the importation of apples from NZ was banned because we were told it would bring in fire blight, but it's now happening. Why? Because Auzzie apple growers did not want competion. But now they have it. Fire blight be damned!
The list goes on.

Uh oh

I think the old saying 'better safe then sorry' would apply Being in WA where we are still free of Myrtle Rust, I can see the benifit of strict rules.