# Germany Travel Question: Flower Seeds As Gift?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-travel-question-flower-seeds-as-gift/206791>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 11, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-travel-question-flower-seeds-as-gift/206791 "2003-10-11T03:07:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-travel-question-flower-seeds-as-gift/206791/1 "2003-10-11T03:07:06Z")

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Rick Steves on his websites recommends seeds for German gardeners as a light weight gift, but aren’t these considered “agricultural products”? Will they clear customs?

Thanks

Q

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**Author:** ![universe.zip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/a9adbd/32.png) [@universe.zip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/universe.zip)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-travel-question-flower-seeds-as-gift/206791/2 "2003-10-11T06:24:45Z")

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According to the [customs site](http://www.zoll-d.de/b0_zoll_und_steuern/d0_verbote_und_beschraenkungen/e0_schutz_pflanzenwelt/a0_private_einfuhren/) (in German) you need a health/purity certificate for the seeds. Sounds like too much hassle.  
Why would you want to bring flower seeds to Germany, anyway? You can probably buy most of them there.

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**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-travel-question-flower-seeds-as-gift/206791/3 "2003-10-11T07:20:44Z")

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Thanks. I had thought maybe some seeds for flowers that don’t normally grow over there. Not much of a gardener, I’m afraid. For example, I wanted to plant some **Edelweiss** in my front yard. No go. They didn’t even raise their cute little heads for me to nurture.

Thanks for the information. I’m surprised too that _Steves_ recommends this.

Q

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**Author:** ![Frame\_Dragging](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/53a042/32.png) [@Frame\_Dragging](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frame_Dragging)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2003, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/germany-travel-question-flower-seeds-as-gift/206791/4 "2003-10-12T00:10:53Z")

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I lived in Germany with a host family for a year in the mid-70’s. I had a chance to visit my host parents and their grown children in 2000. The gifts I brought that were most appreciated were:

Any Native American handcrafted item. I brought authentic Navaho pottery. Minnesota Wild Rice was also well received once I explained its Indian heritage.

Good California red wine.

Books in english that we’d give our 7 and 8 year olds for their 7 and 8 year old children/grandchildren.

A football (American)

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

Alles Gut!