I imported a JWP after a visit to Japan in 2000. It came bare rooted with sphagnum moss. It never missed a beat and I still have the tree 23 years later. This was the last year to import before the 2 year quarantine was put into place. Get this...if what I was told was correct...mine was shipped with some deciduous trees that had a pest, sent back to Japan, immediately resent, made it to Rochester, was repackaged and forwarded to me...over 5 weeks in a box!