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Category 21 of 25 · Hawaii

Plants & Flowers

Nursery Stock, Cut Flowers & Propagative Plants

HDOA Nursery Certification & Quarantine Inspection Required
Generally open
On-island direct sale
HDOA inspection req'd
Interisland shipment
HDOA cert + USDA rules
Export to mainland
HDOA Plant Quarantine
Agency

What's Covered / What Needs More

✓ What's Covered

  • Selling cut flowers, potted plants, and nursery stock direct at markets and farm stands within your own island
  • Certified-nursery self-certification of potted plants for interisland shipment under HDOA's Burrowing Nematode/Certified Nursery Program
  • Export shipments certified by HDOA's Plant Quarantine Branch to meet the destination state's or country's entry requirements
  • USDA-regulated export of cut flowers, foliage, and fruit to the mainland U.S. under federal rules

✕ Needs More

  • Moving potted/propagative plants between islands without inspection at an HDOA Plant Quarantine office (a 'Passed' sticker is required, or use of a certified nursery's self-certification)
  • Transporting 'ōhi'a plant material or soil from Hawai'i Island to other islands without a specific HDOA Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death (ROD) quarantine permit
  • Shipping soil-containing potted plants interisland without meeting current HDOA soil-testing/permit conditions for ROD risk
  • Assuming a state-inspection sticker satisfies destination-state or destination-country entry rules — mainland/foreign export needs its own HDOA certification matched to that destination's requirements

How to Get Compliant

A

Sell freely within your own island

No special inspection is required for direct, in-person sales of plants/flowers to customers on the same island.

B

Get interisland shipments inspected

Before shipping to another island, have plants inspected at an HDOA Plant Quarantine office (look for the 'Passed' sticker), or become a certified nursery able to self-certify potted stock.

C

Certify for export

For mainland/foreign shipment, work with HDOA's Plant Quarantine Branch (propagative plant material) and, for cut flowers/foliage/fruit, follow USDA's separate export rules for the destination.

Quick Reference

Sales ChannelRequirementNotes
Same-island, direct saleNo permitNormal retail/farm-stand sale
Interisland shipment, potted/propagative plantsHDOA inspection or certified-nursery self-cert'Passed' sticker required if not certified
'Ōhi'a plant material or soil ex-Hawai'i IslandHDOA ROD quarantine permitSpecial quarantine due to Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death
Export to mainland/foreign countryHDOA certification (plants) / USDA rules (cut flowers, fruit)Requirements matched to destination

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I ship potted plants from Oahu to Maui without inspection?
Only if you're a certified nursery able to self-certify; otherwise the plants need inspection and a 'Passed' sticker at an HDOA Plant Quarantine office before travel.
Why is 'ōhi'a treated specially?
Rapid 'Ōhi'a Death (ROD), a fungal disease, is under active interisland quarantine — 'ōhi'a plant material and soil from Hawai'i Island need a specific HDOA permit to move to other islands.
How do I become a certified nursery?
Apply through HDOA's Certified Nursery Program (administered at the Lanikaula St. Hilo office), which allows self-certification of potted plants for shipment under programs like the Burrowing Nematode Certification.
Can I mail cut flowers to the mainland?
Yes, under USDA's separate export rules for cut flowers, foliage, and fruit — different from HDOA's nursery/propagative-plant certification.

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