You cannot ship or bring citrus plants into Alabama unless those trees come from an USDA certified citrus nursery with a USDA-APHIS approved screen house that does not utilize overhead irrigation and follows the USDA Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol.  Alabama has strict rules for importing citrus plants to protect the state’s citrus industry from pests and diseases. Citrus trees that come from nurseries that do not meet these requirements, cannot be shipped into Alabama.  Homeowners should only buy citrus trees from their local nursery or garden center as those trees have come from an approved source. Homeowners moving to Alabama with citrus trees, cannot bring those trees with them when they move to Alabama.

We strongly discourage homeowners from buying citrus trees from an online source, even if the website says they ship to Alabama. The same goes for buying citrus directly from an out of state nursery and having it shipped to Alabama.  If that nursery isn’t allowed to import citrus into Alabama, you shouldn’t purchase from them.  Likewise, nurseries should investigate the source for citrus trees they want to purchase before doing so. Consumers and business may contact the state department of Agriculture of the state the nursery is located to see if they are eligible to import citrus into Alabama.  Only citrus trees produced at a nursery that has a USDA-APHIS approved screen house and follows the USDA Citrus Nursery Stock Protocol is permitted to import citrus into Alabama.  Unpermitted citrus found in Alabama will be confiscated and destroyed.

No, the requirements are the same whether the destination is a homeowner, a citrus producer, or a nursery.

Yes, with some restrictions.  You can share citrus plants with local friends, family, and neighbors but you should never ship, transport, or share citrus plants (including seeds) with people who live outside of your immediate area and never move citrus plants out of a citrus quarantine area into an area that is not under the same quarantine.

You can report your concerns to your designated ADAI Agricultural inspector, the Alabama Plant Pest Administrator, or the Plant Protection division.

Federal penalties for violating quarantine regulations can range from $1,100 up to $60,000 per violation according to the USDA. State penalties can include a fine of up to $500 and may include incarceration up to 6 months in jail.  If you have a nursery certificate to sell plants, that certificate can be revoked, and you may be barred from selling any plants in Alabama.

A disease-free plant will be healthier and more productive. There is no guarantee that a healthy-looking tree is disease free but one that seems vibrant, green, and thriving is more likely to be healthy than not.  ADAI takes steps to limit the likelihood that infected trees are imported into the state.  You should ask the vendor if their citrus trees were initially grown in a facility that protected it from exposure to citrus pest and diseases, if the citrus trees came from a nursery in a quarantine area and whether they are following the federal, State, and local citrus quarantines.

That depends on what we find.  If the pest known as the Asian citrus psyllid is found, you can treat your trees with a foliar spray to treat for the pest.  You can find out what spray to use by visiting your local garden center or by contacting your Alabama Cooperative Extension Agent.  However, if one of the citrus diseases is discovered, especially citrus greening or citrus canker, those trees will need to be removed and destroyed following a specific protocol to ensure that the disease is not spread in its destruction.  The infected tree will not produce fruit that will ripen and will eventually die. If not removed, the tree will serve as an inoculum of the disease and infect all the other citrus trees that are exposed to it.  If none of the other trees test positive, they can remain but should be closely monitored for any signs of disease.  If the disease or pest were not identified by ADAI inspectors, you need to call your local Agricultural Inspector (See Map) or the Plant Protection division at the Department of Agriculture and Industries for the steps you need to take in disposing of the tree. A Representative from ADAI will need to supervise the disposal.

There is nothing you can do that will guarantee that your trees won’t be infected by a citrus disease but there are some things you can do that will lower the risk.  First, check with your local county extension agent or the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service website (www.aces.edu) for tips and information about growing citrus. Secondly, avoid overhead irrigation by using drip irrigation instead. Next, clean your tool regularly to avoid cross contamination and inspect your trees regularly for any signs of disease.  With early detection, you may be able to prune your trees to remove infected branches.  Do not use the cuttings in compost or put out as trash but bag the cuttings and call ADAI to report the discovery so they can test the suspect plant for disease.  The proper application of fungicides and pesticides can be a preventative. Ask your garden Center or Cooperative Extension agent for those recommendations.