Importing trees from Japan

[QuintinBonsai]

Has anyone here done it? I know it's obviously expensive, and if so, what price range are we talking about here? What do I need to know about collection permits, and pest quarantines? Does anyone know of a good website, or dealer that I could check out?

 

[Ang3lfir3]

Has anyone here done it? I know it's obviously expensive, and if so, what price range are we talking about here? What do I need to know about collection permits, and pest quarantines? Does anyone know of a good website, or dealer that I could check out?

There are several nurseries in the US that do import trees from Japan... depends on the nursery but I bet there are a few in CA... talk to smoke he will know....

as far as the import process goes you can't just do it yourself... i believe you have to be permitted and checked out by the feds etc... the trees must live in quarantine for several years before they can be allowed to "grow freely" as it were... that is of course assuming you can get them through customs etc and don't run into any power crazy beaurocrats ...

that being said we do have several trees that have been imported in the past long before the stricter restrictions we have today.... they can even still be found in some nurseries

usually the material imported by retailers is not of the same caliber as what you might expect.... why are you interested in importing trees from Japan??? there are hundreds if not thousands of great pieces of material to work on here in the US.... what is it that you expect to get that you can't get here? lets just say importing is not for the faint of heart or light of checkbook ....

 

[QuintinBonsai]

I was just curious that's all. I want to get a hold of a good tree. I figured that the best trees come from Asia. Thanks for your response!

 

[rockm]

If you have a couple of thousand--for a nice tree (the Japanese don't export really good trees for the most part, but even the second tier are very good) and at least two years to wait AND some luck that the importation process doesn't kill your import, you're set.

Depending on the species, imported trees have to be bare-rooted and fumigated. They're either kept at an import facility in Japan for the quarrantine or shipped to a designated import holder here in the U.S. Brussels Bonsai in MS is a designated quarrantine station and I think it imports Japanese trees regularly. There are a few others around the country too.

There are people in Japan and in the U.S. that can help with making all these connections.

That said, the Japanese are paying attention to U.S. collected species, like Ponderosa pine. You can get a pretty nice small Japanese import for your money, or a spectacular Ponderosa pine for the same.

There are also a number of American bonsai nurseries that are growing extremely fine traditional asian species. They're mostly in California and some sell on Ebay.

As you can see, this is a complicated question and it begs the question about having the experience to handle a $1,000 or more expensive tree as a beginner...

 

[JudyB]

I know that Lotus Bonsai (they're up near Sacramento) does importing, as well as New England Bonsai Gardens.

 

[rockm]

"I figured that the best trees come from Asia"

Funny thing is, so are the worst. "Mallsai" are imported from China by the thousands. Those twisted, weird-looking trees you see in malls and on roadsides can be imports. There are also mass-produced larger trees (a lot of thick trunked Chinese elms) that get imported from China too. Some are inexpensive compared to Japanese imports, but those can also be a little strange looking. Just because it's from Asia, doesn't make it good...

 

[QuintinBonsai]

"I figured that the best trees come from Asia"

Funny thing is, so are the worst. "Mallsai" are imported from China by the thousands. Those twisted, weird-looking trees you see in malls and on roadsides can be imports. There are also mass-produced larger trees (a lot of thick trunked Chinese elms) that get imported from China too. Some are inexpensive compared to Japanese imports, but those can also be a little strange looking. Just because it's from Asia, doesn't make it good...

Definitely not looking for a mallsai. That was one of my first trees I received. I'd throw it in the trash if it weren't a present from my girlfriend. I know what you mean, you see those little junipers everywhere. They look a little something like this. Minus the pink bunny. But I was hoping to get a hold of a pine of some sort that looks decent.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

But I was hoping to get a hold of a pine of some sort that looks decent.

That can be done in any number of excellent bonsai nurseries in your area.... many excellent looking pines in all stages of completion are available.... much closer than swimming across the Pacific.... and dryer too....

 

[Alex DeRuiter]

You can import a tree from Michigan, of course. Don Blackmond has some more advanced pines. They're not all listed on his site, but you can always request pictures.

 

[QuintinBonsai]

Thanks but I might as well take the advice that others have stated, and check to see what my local nurseries have. There's only one that popped up in a google search for San Diego. Kuma Bonsai Nursery.

 

[JudyB]

Be aware that pines are not as easy and forgiving as deciduous trees, and if you don't know what you're doing (no offense intended) you will probably kill a nice pine tree. (I know I did...)