LetterAgent
Mail physical letters by just asking your AI assistant.
Home > Guides > Shipping live plants
Yes, you can ship live plants in most cases, but soil and some plant materials are restricted, and weather timing matters more than the carrier you pick. Ship early in the week so plants never sit over a weekend, and check the destination's plant rules first. Within Canada, a flat-rate Xpresspost label covers a plant parcel up to 5 kg.
The plant itself is rarely the problem. Regulators care about what travels with it: soil, pests, and disease. Many carriers restrict loose soil in parcels because soil can carry invasive insects and pathogens across regions, so nurseries usually ship plants bare-root (roots wrapped in damp paper or sphagnum moss) or in sterile growing medium. That single switch solves most carrier objections.
Certain species are off-limits regardless of how you pack them. Some provinces and US states maintain lists of prohibited or controlled plants, and cross-border shipments face federal inspection on both sides. Canada's plant rules are administered by the CFIA; in the US, the USDA's APHIS handles plant imports. Shipping a plant from Canada to the US (or the reverse) is a different undertaking from shipping within your own country: commercial shipments may need phytosanitary certificates, and some states, like California, Arizona, and Hawaii, run their own agricultural checkpoints with their own banned lists.
| Situation | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Shipping a houseplant within your province/state | Usually fine; keep soil contained or go bare-root |
| Shipping across provinces | Fine for common houseplants; check the destination province's restricted lists |
| Canada to US (or US to Canada) | Federal inspection rules apply; permits or certificates may be needed |
| Seeds | Far fewer restrictions; see our seeds guide |
Stability matters more than cushioning. Anchor the plant so it cannot shift: tape the pot to the bottom of the box, fill dead space with crumpled kraft paper, and close the foliage gently so leaves are not crushed. Cut ventilation holes in the box so moisture does not build up and rot the leaves in transit. Tape the box shut, then mark it clearly on every side: "LIVE PLANTS, THIS SIDE UP" and "PERISHABLE."
Water the plant the day before, not the day of shipping. Soggy soil leaks through box seams and weakens the cardboard; slightly dry soil travels better. For winter shipments, tuck in a disposable hand warmer taped to the inside wall of the box (not touching the foliage), and for summer heat, ship with the plant in a slightly larger box so hot cardboard does not sit directly against leaves. These warmers last roughly a couple of days, which is why speed and timing matter more than insulation.
Monday or Tuesday, always. A parcel dropped off Monday typically moves through the system on business days; one dropped off Thursday or Friday sits in a warehouse or truck over the weekend, and a plant parked in a hot or freezing trailer for two extra days often arrives dead. Watch the forecast at both ends: a plant can survive a one-day trip in mild weather but not the same trip during a heat wave or a deep freeze.
Seasonal blackout windows exist for a reason. Many nurseries simply will not ship in the coldest and hottest weeks of the year. If you are sending a gift plant, spring and early fall are the forgiving seasons. If the forecast looks borderline, wait a week rather than gamble: the plant costs you once, but a dead arrival costs you the plant plus the shipping.
LetterAgent sells Canada-only flat-rate Xpresspost shipping labels, and plants are shippable within Canada under Canada Post's rules as long as the parcel meets the service limits: 5 kg maximum, within Canada, and nothing the carrier prohibits. Plants themselves are generally accepted; restricted species and loose soil issues come from the carrier's and regulators' rules, which apply no matter whose label is on the box. Pricing is quoted up front: you approve the exact price before anything ships.
Ready to ship it? Get a shipping label with LetterAgent: describe it to your AI assistant, approve the exact quoted price, and get your label.
LetterAgent is a working name. Prices include print, postage, and our service fee. US prices in USD, Canadian prices in CAD (Canadian prices exclude applicable sales tax, added at checkout). Currently in private testing.
Need help? Ask your assistant: it can check a job's status any time. If it ever can't handle something: hello@getletteragent.com