Dried flowers, grasses, seed pods and handmade natural décor are plant-based goods, and that changes how they are treated at the border. Alongside the usual customs paperwork, an importer may need to meet plant-health (biosecurity) rules, agree the right tariff classification and make sure the packing, including any wooden pallets, meets international standards. Settling these points before the order is confirmed costs far less than solving them at the port.
This guide covers what to check, which documents are involved and how to specify packing for an export order of dried botanicals and sola flowers from India. Rules differ by country and by product, so use it as a checklist to take to your customs broker and your national plant-health authority, not as a substitute for their advice.
Start with your import conditions, not the product list
Delays usually come from discovering an import requirement after shipment. Before you finalise a product list, ask your customs broker or plant-health authority three questions about each product type:
- Is this product allowed into the country in its dried, bleached or dyed form?
- Does it need a phytosanitary certificate, an import permit, a treatment such as fumigation, or an inspection on arrival?
- Does the answer change if the item is handcrafted or processed rather than simply dried?
The answers can differ between lines in the same order, so share them with your supplier at enquiry stage so the quotation reflects the right documents and treatments.
Phytosanitary certificates
A phytosanitary certificate is an official document confirming that a consignment of plants or plant products has been inspected and meets the importing country’s plant-health requirements. It is issued by the national plant protection organisation of the exporting country (for goods shipped from India, the Indian plant protection authority), and it is needed only when the importing country requires it for that product. Some countries require certificates for certain dried plant material, while others exempt goods that are fully processed. Your plant-health authority can tell you which applies.
Because the certificate follows an inspection before export, the requirement must be known before goods are packed and sealed.
Australia, New Zealand and other strict biosecurity markets
Australia and New Zealand apply strict biosecurity checks to plant material, including dried and decorative items. Check current import conditions for each product with the relevant government authority before ordering, and expect inspection on arrival. Loose seeds, soil and signs of insect activity are typical inspection concerns, so clean material and accurate descriptions help.
Product classification and HS codes
Every invoice line needs a tariff classification under the Harmonized System (HS), which determines the duty rate, import controls and sometimes the documents required. The first six digits of an HS code are shared internationally; individual countries add further digits for their own tariffs, so the full code and duty rate are specific to your market.
For dried botanicals, two headings are the usual starting point:
- Heading 0603 covers cut flowers and flower buds of a kind suitable for bouquets or ornamental purposes, whether fresh, dried, dyed, bleached, impregnated or otherwise prepared.
- Heading 0604 covers foliage, branches and other parts of plants without flowers or flower buds, and grasses, mosses and lichens, of a kind suitable for bouquets or ornamental purposes, again whether fresh, dried, dyed, bleached, impregnated or otherwise prepared.
Handcrafted items are a different matter. Sola flowers are carved and assembled by hand from the pith of Aeschynomene aspera rather than grown as flowers, and woven décor balls, mixed-material bouquets and scented potpourri may also fall under other headings. Your customs broker confirms the final classification for each product line.
| Product type | Example | Classification note |
|---|---|---|
| Dried grasses, leaves, palm spears and branches | Pampas Natural (GR04), Palm Spear Bleached (LE08) | Heading 0604 is usually the starting point; broker confirms |
| Dried flowers and flower buds, natural, bleached or dyed | Dried flower heads and buds | Heading 0603 is usually the starting point; broker confirms |
| Seed pods, cones and potpourri | Lotus Mini (PO13) | Depends on the item and whether it is mixed or fragranced; broker confirms |
| Sola flowers, handmade décor and mixed bouquets | Sola Rose (SO31), Lata Ball Natural (HM15) | May classify outside 0603 and 0604 as crafted articles; broker confirms |
The core document set
- Commercial invoice: seller and buyer details, product descriptions and codes, quantities, unit prices, total value, currency, the Incoterms rule and the country of origin. Customs value is assessed from it.
- Packing list: carton-by-carton contents, carton numbers, net and gross weights and dimensions.
- Transport document: a bill of lading (or sea waybill) for sea freight, or an air waybill for air freight. An original bill of lading is a document of title; an air waybill is not, so release arrangements differ.
- Certificate of origin: required by some importing countries, and needed to claim preferential duty under a trade agreement where one applies. The form depends on the agreement, so tell your supplier which one you need.
- Phytosanitary certificate: only where the importing country requires it for the product.
- Treatment or fumigation certificate: where your import conditions require a treatment before shipment.
- Import permit: arranged by the importer before shipment, in countries that require one for the product.
Consistency matters as much as completeness: descriptions, quantities and weights should match across every document, as a mismatch is a classic reason for goods to be held. Using the same names and codes throughout, such as “Sola Rose (SO31)”, makes cross-checking simple.
Incoterms and who handles which documents
The Incoterms® 2020 rule in your contract decides where delivery takes place, when risk passes to you, and who arranges export clearance, main carriage, insurance and import clearance. Under every rule except EXW the seller clears the goods for export, and under every rule except DDP the buyer clears them for import and pays import duties and taxes. That split tells you which documents each side must produce. Incoterms do not decide when ownership passes or how payment is made; those belong in the sales contract. For a rule-by-rule comparison by shipping mode, see Sea Freight or Air Freight? Shipping Dried Flowers and Sola Flowers from India.
Export packing that survives the journey
Cartons and inner packing
Dried botanicals are light and brittle, so export packing is about preventing crushing and movement. Floral Mongers product specifications describe export packing in 5-ply corrugated master cartons with poly liners and silica gel sachets, with inner packing suited to the product: tissue-separated sola heads, sleeved pampas bunches and weighed poly bags for loose pods. Ask for pieces per pack, packs per carton, carton dimensions and gross weights in the quotation; you will need them for freight quotes and the packing list.
Wooden pallets, crates and ISPM 15
If goods travel on wooden pallets, in wooden crates or with wooden dunnage, that wood packaging must comply with ISPM 15, the international standard for wood packaging material applied by most trading countries. Compliant wood is treated, by heat treatment or an approved fumigation, and carries the IPPC mark. Non-compliant wood packaging can lead to the consignment being treated, re-exported or destroyed at the importer’s cost. Packaging made wholly of processed wood such as plywood is generally outside the standard, and plastic pallets or loose-loaded cartons avoid the question altogether. Agree your preference with your forwarder before booking.
Carton marking
Each master carton should carry shipping marks that match the packing list: consignee or order reference, destination, carton number (for example 12/40), gross weight and, where required, country of origin. Add handling marks such as “keep dry” and “this way up”. Retail labelling is a separate question, covered in Private Label and Retail Packaging for Imported Dried Botanicals.
Moisture: the risk documents do not cover
A perfectly documented consignment can still arrive damaged. Natural materials absorb humidity on long voyages, and container condensation can mark bleached finishes or cause dye transfer on sola. Specify sealed inner packing, desiccants and carton strength at quotation stage. Our guide to protecting dried flowers and sola products from moisture in transit covers this in detail.
When the goods arrive
- Be ready for a plant-health inspection if your market requires one.
- Check carton count and condition against the packing list, and note visible damage on the delivery receipt.
- Open sample cartons in a dry area, compare goods with the approved samples and photograph any issue at once.
- Store in a dry, ventilated space, off the floor and out of direct sunlight.
Pre-order checklist
- Confirm import conditions for each product type with your broker or plant-health authority.
- Agree the HS classification for each line with your broker.
- Choose an Incoterms® 2020 rule and name the place or port.
- List the documents you need, including any certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate or treatment certificate.
- Specify packing: pieces per pack, carton type, moisture protection and pallet material.
- Send carton-marking and retail labelling requirements with your enquiry.
- Approve samples before bulk production; see Samples and Specification Approval.
How Floral Mongers handles export orders
Floral Mongers is the botanical brand of International Mongers, which coordinates export packing and documentation for Floral Mongers orders. Your destination, preferred Incoterms rule and required certificates are reflected in the quotation. Read how we export, review our quality process or browse the catalogue to build your product list. Common questions are answered in the FAQ.
Floral Mongers supplies dry flowers, natural botanicals and sola flowers wholesale and for export, packed and documented for your destination. Request a quote or ask for samples, quoting product codes where you have them.