Happy Bonsai

Concorde

Shohin
Messages
274
Reaction score
6
Location
Grass Valley, Ca
USDA Zone
6-9
There is a vendor on ebay, Happy Bonsai, email is www.hbonsai.com. Nice looking bonsai. Has anyone had experience or know about this vendor. Thank you.
Art
 

reddog

Mame
Messages
198
Reaction score
75
Location
U.S.
No experience with them but after looking at their website I'm trying to figure out where they ship from. looks like China.
 

Tachigi

Omono
Messages
1,198
Reaction score
67
Location
PA.
USDA Zone
6b
They do ship from China. Have seen there material up close and personal.....very expensive material for what there offering that needs loads of attention. The only advantage I can see, is that they do offer some material that can be hard to find here in the states

Really important....read their fine print...they tap dance around customs seizures and liability
 

yenling83

Omono
Messages
1,047
Reaction score
1,426
Location
Nipomo, CA
IMO Sketchy. You can find better in the U.S. for same price if you look hard enough.
 

Bill S

Masterpiece
Messages
2,494
Reaction score
28
Location
Western Massachusetts
USDA Zone
5a
Art - "Really important....read their fine print...they tap dance around customs seizures and liability"

Tom probably knows for sure, but this sounds to me like you bought it, they took it at the border, and say, no my problem man.
 

Kirk

Mame
Messages
181
Reaction score
17
Location
Atlanta
USDA Zone
8a
Looks like it was put through a salad spinner.
 

Tachigi

Omono
Messages
1,198
Reaction score
67
Location
PA.
USDA Zone
6b
Tom,

Are you saying they are illegally shipping trees to the USA.

Art


To the best of my understanding they are.....we all know about the sale and importation of Japanese Black Pine to the US....I won't even talk about importing it into Cali :eek:. Those trees that do get imported as bonsai go to licensed broker....and they are still subject to quarantine...so you should be able to draw your own conclusion whether your a broker with an approved and inspected quarantine facility and would this transaction be considered a legit transaction.

Getting trees and other paraphernalia into the US by the US mail will always happen...its a matter if your package happens to gets "PICKED" whether you will ever see it again. My brother in Australia and I use to send Cuban Cigars back and forth through Canada labeled as ties or Xmas presents. We both loved these secret treats, till a case of Havanas got "PICKED" by some inspector that I'm sure is still enjoying them in some dark closet, was an expensive lesson to learn...probably for the best though with all the brew ha-ha about cigars these days.
 

Barry

Yamadori
Messages
77
Reaction score
62
Location
Edison, NJ
USDA Zone
6b
Tom's post is dead-on. An acquaintance ordered a tree from them, it was DOA, but was replaced without a hassle. Expensive, but some of the stock they offer is very hard to find in the US.

I understand this is a photo of the replacement as delivered, which did survive...

Doesn't look as nice as the trees on their site
 

bumblebee

Mame
Messages
163
Reaction score
52
Location
Dauphin Island, Ala
USDA Zone
9B
I have not bought trees, but have bought several small pots from them. No problems there.

Libby
 

mcpesq817

Omono
Messages
1,810
Reaction score
499
Location
VA
USDA Zone
7
So is the seller skirting US quarantine laws? If so, why are people supporting them by buying from them?
 

Bill S

Masterpiece
Messages
2,494
Reaction score
28
Location
Western Massachusetts
USDA Zone
5a
Baby birdies dude - cheapcheapcheapcheapcheapcheapcheapcheap. That and the illicit thrill of breaking the rules and getting something not available under more proper channels.;)
 

mcpesq817

Omono
Messages
1,810
Reaction score
499
Location
VA
USDA Zone
7
Baby birdies dude - cheapcheapcheapcheapcheapcheapcheapcheap. That and the illicit thrill of breaking the rules and getting something not available under more proper channels.;)

I meant it more as a rhetorical question. People in the bonsai community should know better and should be supporting vendors who are abiding by the laws, and not supporting sellers skirting them. Regardless of the cost, people doing bonsai should be aware of the damage that invasive species are wreaking on the environment, and be particularly appreciative of the quarantine laws that are in place to protect it.

To me, it's irresponsible and shows a blatant disregard for our laws and our environment buying from these types of sellers to save a few bucks.
 

Bill S

Masterpiece
Messages
2,494
Reaction score
28
Location
Western Massachusetts
USDA Zone
5a
I think I would have to agree with you, it's tough enough for our vendors due to the limited numbers of people doing bonsai, throwing in someone not playing by the rules hurts in many ways.
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,181
Reaction score
22,178
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
This guy is circumventing US law and the recipients may also be in violation if you read the regs. The USDA has placed bonsai on their watch list as there have been repeated documented infestations of foreign pests coming in with bonsai from China. The Asian longhorn beetle, in particular, is a proven pest that stows away on bonsai from that area, as has Asian pine shoot beetle and a few other things.

I would BE VERY CAREFUL in dealing with this guy. If you do import, you might ask him if he has phytosanitary certificates or is familiar with importation regulations. How would you feel if you imported Asian Longhorn Beetle with your inexpensive apricot? That pest has prompted destruction of thousands of trees around areas where the bug has been seen in the US...

USDA plant import rules:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/index.shtml

And you'd better hope no one calls here:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ies/ies_enforcement_services.shtml


Also, given that a ton of credit card fraud originates in China, if you bought a tree using one, you'd better be watching your back. How secure do you think your CC # is with someone who disregards laws so blatantly?
 
Last edited:

mcpesq817

Omono
Messages
1,810
Reaction score
499
Location
VA
USDA Zone
7
It amazes me that if someone digs up some tree on public or private property, people will jump down that person's throat if the person didn't get the proper permits or other permission.

On the other hand, there doesn't seem to be similar outrage when it comes to illegal imports which will do significantly more damage to our environment. I don't get it.
 

greerhw

Omono
Messages
1,976
Reaction score
15
It amazes me that if someone digs up some tree on public or private property, people will jump down that person's throat if the person didn't get the proper permits or other permission.

On the other hand, there doesn't seem to be similar outrage when it comes to illegal imports which will do significantly more damage to our environment. I don't get it.

I guess I'm confused, what imports are being brought into this country that are not already here ?

keep it green,
Harry
 

DaveV

Shohin
Messages
408
Reaction score
56
Location
Nebraska
USDA Zone
5a
mcpesq817, Think about this, a man gets five years in prison for hosting dog fights in his back yard while parents stage fights among children in their back yards and put them on youtube for all to see and get no time. Does that make sense?
 

rockm

Spuds Moyogi
Messages
14,181
Reaction score
22,178
Location
Fairfax Va.
USDA Zone
7
"I guess I'm confused, what imports are being brought into this country that are not already here ?"

Uh, it's got nothing to do with the particular species per se, species that are imported are also grown domestically, which does away with the chance of acciendental introduction of disease (as does quarrantine in a certified greenhouse). Restrictions have to do with avoiding what COMES IN ON THAT SPECIES. It can be all sorts of crap --insects, fungus, etc in the soil, in the trunk, in the vascular system. Imported lumber introduced Dutch Elm Disease, Chestnut blight, and other very very bad things came in on plant products in the first part of the 20th century before restrictions were placed.

There is a huge threat coming from Asia with unknown fungal infections, insects and diseases. Asian Longhorn beetle is one of the worst, Introduced infestations have been dealt with severely in the U.S.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_long-horned_beetle

This pest has been found and documented in shipments of larger chinese elm bonsai from China.
http://ipm.osu.edu/trans/111_151.htm

It can attack any number of hardwood species.

Conifer species can harbor shoot fungus, soil pathogens and other crap, which is why imports have to be bare-rooted and quarrantined before they are allowed in.

"Think about this, a man gets five years in prison for hosting dog fights in his back yard while parents stage fights among children in their back yards and put them on youtube for all to see and get no time. Does that make sense?"

I hardly think the guy with the dogs is importing chinese elm bonsai...
 

mcpesq817

Omono
Messages
1,810
Reaction score
499
Location
VA
USDA Zone
7
mcpesq817, Think about this, a man gets five years in prison for hosting dog fights in his back yard while parents stage fights among children in their back yards and put them on youtube for all to see and get no time. Does that make sense?

Not really :rolleyes:
 
Top Bottom