Best way to ship water hyacinth

Question

I need to send water hyacinth plants, what is the best way?

Answer 1

Water Hyacinth is considered an Invasive Species in most states. What that means is, it cannot be shipped, transported, or brought into an area that defines it as an Invasive Species. If you do, you face HUGE fines and possibly jail. Invasive Species can crowd out native species and wipe out whole ecosystems. Florida has been ESPECIALLY hard hit by water hyacinth. This link is from the USDA. It has all the info about Invasive Species and what states have laws regarding it. I seriously suggest you read it.

http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/aquat...

EDIT:  grannygrunt28391 You are wrong. Check the website I posted. Massachusetts, Indiana, and Wisconsin are  states that term Water Hyacinth 'Invasive'. Those states are zone 5 or colder. Do not disseminate information you are not clear about.

Answer 2

You could put the hyacinth in a zip-lock bag after carefully wrapping it in layers of very wet newspaper. (Remove a few of the leaves--if need be for compactness). The U.S. Post Office will provide a fairly-inexpensive, pre-paid mailing box. Stuff the box with packing material (like shredding paper or biodegradable peanuts) or wrap the bag in bubble wrap or thin foam rubber before closing up the box so the bag doesn't shift around within the box.

P.S.--I see water hyacinths being sold and shipped every week on eBay. There are presently over 60 sellers offering them right now!  Take a look here at: http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll...  

I live in Zone 5 and my water hyacinths die off in the winter so they are not invasive and I have never been successful in retaining them in my greenhouse over the winter months--though I've tried since they cost $3.75 @ at our local nursery. Where are you shipping yours? Are they going into someone's else's pond? Here are the 7 out of 50 states that do not allow their import: SC, AL, LA, AZ, FL, CA, and TX. Take note that IT’S ILLEGAL TO RELEASE THESE PLANTS INTO NATURAL SPRINGS, CREEKS, LAKES, etc.

Answer 3

The laws of many states prevent shipping invasive plants especially if the are not hard winter states that would kill the plants.  I think you need to first determine where you will be sending them then find out if there are any fines attached to mailing them..

Mine usually come enclosed in a Ziploc bag with some water as well as inside a cardboard box are shipped overnight or priority UPS or Fed EX.  I live in zone 6 so hyacinths die during the winter preventing them from becoming invasive.

Answer 4

Unless you live in an Asian country where this species is endemic, I wouldn't be moving it anywhere.

If however you do live in one of these countries. Go to a florist or nursery and get water granules. Soak them in water. Pack hyacinths and granules in a lunch box. Seal lunch box with tape and voila