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Hi

I have been hunting around various seed selling web sites in the hope of expanding my meagre Drosera collection into something more exotic. Then it occurred to me that I ought to ask you guys first...yes?!

Does anyone please have any of the following Droserae (or similar) and is willing to post seed to Australia? (Easy import; almost no restrictions)

- affinis
- anglica
- ascendens (red forms)
- auriculata

- capensis (red forms)
- carbarup
- cistiflora (red forms/flowers)

- eneabba A (red)
- erythrorhiza, squamosa

- fulva

- intermedia (red forms)

- kaieteurensis

- lake badgerup
- lasiantha

- macrantha ssp planchonii
- madagascariensis
- mandorah
- menziesii ssp menziesii
- meristocaulis

- oblanceolota Sunset Peak
- omissa (red form)

- paleacea
- pallida
- paradoxica
- parvula
- peltata (red form)
- platypoda
- purpurascens
- pygmaea (and crosses)

- roseanna

- sargentii
- stelliflora
- stolonifera


Thank you! :)
 
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Anyone :blush: ?

Nooo :-( ?

OK...

[skulks off dejectedly; gets over it months later]
 
I'll have a lot of D. roseana and paleacea gemmae soon
 
A lot of what you're looking for is available from Allen Lowrie who is also in Australia.
 
Ooh, Wire Man, that sounds good.

Cth, I have never come across Allen Lowrie before but after much searching unearthed his catalogue. It has lots and lots of awesome stuff but is extremely expensive! $10 per seed packet + $20 just to mail them locally. I'd go broke buying from him.

It's actually much cheaper to buy Australian seed from overseas and import. It's a very common problem for all Australian goods - prices jacked up sky high due to lack of competition and supply. What a shame. I would really like to acquire Drosera locally but no-one here seems to sell viable seed, other than Allen who's so $$$.

Oh well.
 
I have a lot of seeds of the temperate form of Drosera intermedia. About 5 flower stalks with 6-8 seed pods each.
I also have Drosera anglica and Drosera capensis but they don't have any seeds at the moment (I sowed the surplus of my capensis seeds some weeks ago and they are all germinating now).

The earliest anglica and capensis seeds will only be next year. I'll see if I could send you some intermedia seeds.
 
http://theauscpforum.lefora.com
That's an Australian carn forum, they have a trade/buy section and are pretty good, also if you join a society like the Victorian or Au (NSW) society you can get some of these from the seed banks plus some nice journals.
 
What a shame. I would really like to acquire Drosera locally but no-one here seems to sell viable seed, other than Allen who's so $$$.
Just curious - what makes you believe that seed acquired outside Oz would have better viability? :scratch:

Fleabay seed sellers are notorious for selling seed they know will never sprout. There is at least one Euro grower who gives/sells his useless seed to a buddy who then offers it on Fleabay. Afaik - no one has ever got any to germinate. Unless you personally know someone who has had specific seed sprout from an online seller - I'd avoid them like the plague.

In addition to the ICPS seedbank (here in USA), there are several CP societies in Oz - some of them have seeds available but they all have growers who are likely to share some of their surplus with other interested growers. Clubs / societies are great places to meet folks w/ similar interests & pick up seeds or plants during the meetings. They also have regular fieldtrips to see cool plants in the wild.
 
I was under the impression that Australia was somewhat restrictive. Not as bad as the United States and certainly not as severe as New Zealand. Who ever is telling you otherwise should spend a little time on the Biosecurity Web Pages of your government's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

You may wish to consult with Sean Spence who is a member on this and many of the other CP fora. I believe he is or was associated with one or more of the agencies in question. He is one of the top Drosera people in Australia and most likely the world.

http://www.daff.gov.au/biosecurity/mail/internet

Mail Order and Internet Purchases
A great deal!

Found a great deal on an overseas internet site? A price that is too good to pass-up, or an item that you can’t get in Australia? It may be therapeutic goods, herbal teas, plants or seeds for the garden, a special breed of reptile or fish, or simply delicious looking food.

You place your order and pay for the goods without checking that they can be legally imported into Australia. The goods you ordered could carry foreign pests and diseases that would place Australia at risk.
What happens next?

When your goods arrive at the Australian border they will be assessed as to whether they can be imported. This includes screening that utilises highly trained detector dogs and sophisticated X–ray machines at international mail centres around Australia.

Some goods may be prohibited and will be seized and destroyed. Other goods may require treatment before they will be permitted into Australia. The cost of any treatment will be at your expense. If any attempt has been made to conceal the goods, for example requesting the supplier to pack goods in a manner designed to hide or make them difficult to identify, the import may be subject to an investigation and possible criminal prosecution.
Want to avoid this happening to you?


When considering purchasing goods from overseas, check that they can be legally imported. Read the information below to make sure that the goods you are buying on the internet won’t be more trouble than they're worth.

By taking the time to check before you buy, you will also be helping protect Australia’s unique flora and fauna, and our agriculture and horticulture industries from potentially devastating foreign pests and diseases.
Tips for mail ordering goods from the internet into Australia

What can’t be mailed to Australia? – a great starting point on what can’t be mailed to Australia
Passenger and Mail Import Enquiry - provides information on the goods that DAFF receives the most questions about. If your item doesn’t appear, you will be given the opportunity to email for further advice.
The Australian Import Conditions Database (ICON) – provides comprehensive information on goods and the conditions under which they can be imported.
If your goods require an import permit, you can obtain an application for an import permit from the DAFF website or your nearest DAFF office.
If your goods are not of biosecurity concern there may be other restrictions, you should also check:

Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
Therapeutic Goods Administration
National Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals
state or territory departments of agriculture.

-------------------------------------------------

http://www.daff.gov.au/biosecurity/mail/cant-mail

Biosecurity and international mail


DAFF officers assess all incoming international mail and may screen mail using x-ray, detector dogs or manual inspection, to ensure mail does not contain items tht could harm Australia’s agricultural industries and environment.
What will DAFF remove from international mail items?

The following information is a basic guide to goods you should not mail to Australia.

Any items that contain insects or larvae will be seized and must be treated at the recipient’s expense or destroyed.

Seeds and nuts

  • seeds including vegetable and flower seeds, unidentified seeds, birdseed and some commercially-packaged seeds*
  • gifts, ornaments and toys filled with seeds
  • pine cones
  • raw nuts
  • grains and legumes including lentils, popping corn and cereal grains
  • raw/green coffee beans.

Plants and soil
  • all plant material including bulbs, whole plants, cuttings, roots, flowers and stems
  • soil, including small souvenir or sentimental samples
  • footwear, sporting and camping equipment contaminated with soil, manure or plant material
  • gifts, ornaments and toys filled with straw, plant matter, sand or soil.

Plant material

  • tea containing seeds, fruit skin (for example citrus and apple peel) and fruit pieces
  • remedies and medicines containing herbs, seeds, bark, fungi and dried plant material*
  • dried flower arrangements and potpourri
  • dried herbs or leaves
  • handicrafts—including wreaths and Christmas decorations—containing seeds, raw nuts, corn, pine cones, grapevines, bark, moss, straw or other plant material
  • wooden items with bark or signs of insects present.

---------------------

Bottom line is while Biosecurity may allow seed in most cases they do inspect and permits may be required in some cases. You could potentially lose your shipments.

As far as Lowrie goes there are three major concerns with him as a vendor. I'll leave that discussion for some other time. You could search some of the other boards for discussion on seed purchased from him.
 
  • #10
I was under the impression that Australia was somewhat restrictive. Not as bad as the United States and certainly not as severe as New Zealand. Who ever is telling you otherwise should spend a little time on the Biosecurity Web Pages of your government's Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

You may wish to consult with Sean Spence who is a member on this and many of the other CP fora. I believe he is or was associated with one or more of the agencies in question. He is one of the top Drosera people in Australia and most likely the world.

http://www.daff.gov.au/biosecurity/mail/internet

Mail Order and Internet Purchases
A great deal!

Found a great deal on an overseas internet site? A price that is too good to pass-up, or an item that you can’t get in Australia? It may be therapeutic goods, herbal teas, plants or seeds for the garden, a special breed of reptile or fish, or simply delicious looking food.

You place your order and pay for the goods without checking that they can be legally imported into Australia. The goods you ordered could carry foreign pests and diseases that would place Australia at risk.
What happens next?

When your goods arrive at the Australian border they will be assessed as to whether they can be imported. This includes screening that utilises highly trained detector dogs and sophisticated X–ray machines at international mail centres around Australia.

Some goods may be prohibited and will be seized and destroyed. Other goods may require treatment before they will be permitted into Australia. The cost of any treatment will be at your expense. If any attempt has been made to conceal the goods, for example requesting the supplier to pack goods in a manner designed to hide or make them difficult to identify, the import may be subject to an investigation and possible criminal prosecution.
Want to avoid this happening to you?


When considering purchasing goods from overseas, check that they can be legally imported. Read the information below to make sure that the goods you are buying on the internet won’t be more trouble than they're worth.

By taking the time to check before you buy, you will also be helping protect Australia’s unique flora and fauna, and our agriculture and horticulture industries from potentially devastating foreign pests and diseases.
Tips for mail ordering goods from the internet into Australia

What can’t be mailed to Australia? – a great starting point on what can’t be mailed to Australia
Passenger and Mail Import Enquiry - provides information on the goods that DAFF receives the most questions about. If your item doesn’t appear, you will be given the opportunity to email for further advice.
The Australian Import Conditions Database (ICON) – provides comprehensive information on goods and the conditions under which they can be imported.
If your goods require an import permit, you can obtain an application for an import permit from the DAFF website or your nearest DAFF office.
If your goods are not of biosecurity concern there may be other restrictions, you should also check:

Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
Therapeutic Goods Administration
National Registration Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals
state or territory departments of agriculture.

-------------------------------------------------

http://www.daff.gov.au/biosecurity/mail/cant-mail

Biosecurity and international mail


DAFF officers assess all incoming international mail and may screen mail using x-ray, detector dogs or manual inspection, to ensure mail does not contain items tht could harm Australia’s agricultural industries and environment.
What will DAFF remove from international mail items?

The following information is a basic guide to goods you should not mail to Australia.

Any items that contain insects or larvae will be seized and must be treated at the recipient’s expense or destroyed.

Seeds and nuts

  • seeds including vegetable and flower seeds, unidentified seeds, birdseed and some commercially-packaged seeds*
  • gifts, ornaments and toys filled with seeds
  • pine cones
  • raw nuts
  • grains and legumes including lentils, popping corn and cereal grains
  • raw/green coffee beans.

Plants and soil
  • all plant material including bulbs, whole plants, cuttings, roots, flowers and stems
  • soil, including small souvenir or sentimental samples
  • footwear, sporting and camping equipment contaminated with soil, manure or plant material
  • gifts, ornaments and toys filled with straw, plant matter, sand or soil.

Plant material

  • tea containing seeds, fruit skin (for example citrus and apple peel) and fruit pieces
  • remedies and medicines containing herbs, seeds, bark, fungi and dried plant material*
  • dried flower arrangements and potpourri
  • dried herbs or leaves
  • handicrafts—including wreaths and Christmas decorations—containing seeds, raw nuts, corn, pine cones, grapevines, bark, moss, straw or other plant material
  • wooden items with bark or signs of insects present.

---------------------

Bottom line is while Biosecurity may allow seed in most cases they do inspect and permits may be required in some cases. You could potentially lose your shipments.

As far as Lowrie goes there are three major concerns with him as a vendor. I'll leave that discussion for some other time. You could search some of the other boards for discussion on seed purchased from him.
Importing to these countries is so frustrating. :headwall:
 
  • #11
There was an orchid seedbank based in Australia. I sent seeds a couple times, with "orchid seeds" declared on the package, and the different species labeled onto each individual packaging. Each time the seeds arrived without problem at all. But that was back in 2004...
 
  • #12
Yes, Australia can be extremely restrictive about bio imports but not, as it happens, for Drosera seed. Regulations here are to protect us from pathogens and from non-native species running wild, having learned the hard way with rabbits, foxes, Lantana and worse. Drosera are native here, and almost all of them are on the 'permitted' list when sent as properly labelled seed. Quite a lot of other seed types are also allowed in without issue.

Live plants are another matter, with permits, fees and challenging protocols to follow. Not worthwhile for most hobbyists or anyone less than obsessed.

Regarding viability of seed, my experiences have been with local eBay sellers AND seed from local CP society seed banks AND a local specialist CP seed seller. Extremely poor quality seed in all cases, so I now have no faith even in the so called specialists here. I'm more inclined to trust a fellow hobbyist. The one time I bought from overseas - still via eBay - I had fabulous germination.

So yes, I'm generalising. US seed might be rubbish too sometimes. But also it's just really hard to find seed in Aus! We only have 20 million people - not enough to create a critical mass for most hobbies, so the offerings are quite meagre. Most of my best stuff I just found! Maybe that's what I need - a Drosera hunter's treasure map!
 
  • #13
Thanks for the Aussie CP forum web link Adelea. I have tried three times to join that forum but the Lefora sign on does not seem to work. After filling the web form, clicking 'Join Lefora' simply refreshes the page, emptying the form.

UPDATE: Found it works in Firefox, but not at all in IE. That's a big oops...someone in IT's gonna get fired.
 
Last edited:
  • #15
Thanks guys! You are such a helpful lot. :blush:
 
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