Online store - shipping info and our guarantees
Shipping Info
Please use shopping cart All you have to do: a) select item in the shopping cart More info - see: Shipping cost |
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We can not be responsible for temperature damage of plants during transportation (heat or cold). Please notify us if weather is not permitting, we can hold your order!
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We are certified to ship to all the US
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Most of our plants are certified for shipping to all
continental states.
A few plants that are NOT certified for LA, CA, TX, AZ are marked so in
the price-list.
For international shipping, we need to check with your state
regulations (to do so, please provide import permit so we can meet the
requirements: no soil or bark, special pre-treatments, etc.).
We ship year around. See below
regarding weather-permitting shipping.
Our online shipping rates are good ONLY within the Continental United
States.
Please
for special info about shipping outside of the
continental US (shipping rates, phyto-certificate, etc.)
See also: Shipping to Canada and International orders
APO addresses. We can't ship live plants to military APO address. The main reason is that we don't know where it is located. If this is outside of the USA, then we have to comply with live plants export-import regulations, which is complicated procedure. Also, we don't know how long does it take to deliver the plant and if the package will be opened, so we can't guarantee anything. Orders with live plants to APO addresses will be canceled unless you specify more information.
- Shipping days: Monday through Friday except State holidays
- UPS ground or USPS Priority Mail, 2-4 days in transit (depending on your location to provide more economical rates) with confirmation number.
- Express Mail (overnight to most destinations) - we may upgrade shipping method at extra charge. Please notify us if your order is urgent.
- Orders are usually shipped within 10-14 days, but in most cases within 3-7 days from date of order, depending on your address. West Coast is usually shipped on Mondays and Florida on Thursdays to insure everyone gets order before the weekend.
Make sure you provide us with a valid email address. You will be notified via email when order is shipped, with delivery confirmation number - USPS (starting 0103) or UPS (starting 1Z). The USPS number is for delivery confirmation only, not for tracking. It confirms that the package was physically delivered to the Post Office and accepted by USPS for shipping. Delivery times are on average 2-4 business days. Please make sure delivered package is not sitting on your porch all day. We can't guarantee the plants to be alive without temperature control.
Possible delays. We notify our customers
about possible delays. You may check your order status online.
If you were notified that your order was shipped, but haven't received
the package within 4 days, please check with your local Post Office or UPS: it
may sit there undelivered because of your absence.
Shipment may be delayed by us for the following reasons:
- weather is not permitting
- item is temporarily out of stock
- some fruit trees take time to deliver from other locations
Planting
instructions are included. For Aquatic plants - see Growing
Mangroves, for seeds - see germination
instructions.
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We try to provide you with large and mature plants, some of them are much bigger than those that you might get from other mail-order companies (see Our Products page, and Size of Plants). At the same time we want to keep the price down and save your money on shipping by minimizing the package weight and dimentions. We remove plants from pots, toss off some excess soil (to save freight) and wrap a food-grade plastic film around root ball to keep moisture in and to make a compact mailing (see picture on the right). We do not bareroot plants for domestic shipping to avoid additional stress. We try to perform the best packaging we can to make sure the plants arrive safely. Each plant is wrapped individually in thick kraft paper sleve to avoid damage. The wrapped plants are taped to the box so they won't move within the carton. Read more about plants shipping and possible problems. Shipping cost listed in our price list (shopping cart) is automatically calculated for the US only. Please contact us for international orders. We charge you for shipping and handling which includes pulling plants from the field, labeling, sorting, stripping pots and some soil, bagging, wrapping, packaging and boxing. We provide the upmost pachaging to ensure your plants have a safe trip, using professional packing supplies which are not cheap. HANDLING is very labor-intensive and expensive part. Often we even lose on shipping, because we try to provide you with biggest plants available. ATTENTION:
Due to new regulations and price system of the US Postal Service
(effective 05/14/07), we have changed our shipping calculator system.
Please use shopping cart to automatically calculate actual shipping
cost which depends on particular plant (size, weight)
and destination. All you have to do: You can't calculate international shipping cost of plants - please contact us for that information.
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You may check if your order has been shipped at Our company provides gardeners with rooted, well-established plants of mostly rare and hard-to-find species. We provide you with the biggest and healthiest specimens of the kind that we have at the moment (see more info about plant size). We grow our plants in natural conditions (outdoors) under Florida sun and rain. We fertilize our plants to maintain healthy growth and developed roots, but it's not our goal to keep them flowering at all times, although some of them might bloom at the moment (note that the flowers as well as some leaves might drop while shipping). We are not a florist shop where you can get a nicely shaped arrangement in a fancy wrap. We provide you with a specimen plant for your future fun of growing it, while it matures, develops it's root system and gets into bloom for your future enjoyment.
Most of the plants are shipped without pots (see above), and you must realize that you need to be prepared:
- you need special soil (see recommendations), you may as well order a good potting medium from us (including Grow Coir)
- you need pots ready (depending on plant size - see info in price list)
- you need to spend some time and effort to help your plant to recover from shipping stress and grow happily
- if the plant is supposed to be a present, please consider if the person you are sending it to will be willing and capable of providing all the above.
If you feel inexperienced about growing these plants, please visit our Forum and FAQ page for more information. Read Catalog article with cultivation advice for the plant before ordering it.
See also Possible problems
in transportation.
Read
more about establishing plants ans problem solving
Terms of service. Guarantees and liabilities
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Please read these rules before ordering! By ordering from us you enter into legal contract you have your resposibilities as well as we do. We value our customers and would like customers to value our service. Therefore, we have some rules
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All plants being in a few days transit without light and water, exposed to temperature extremes and handling, will experience stress. Some more, others less. Please be advised that we can not guarantee the plant to stay in a good condition after shipping since it is beyond our control. By ordering a live plant mail-order you take a risk of receiving a wilted plant, which in most cases, under proper care, will recover soon and bring you joy of accomplishment.
- We guarantee the plant is healthy and true to name to the
best of our knowledge when it leaves our nursery, and shipped in proper
packaging to keep stress on the plant to a minimum. We are not
responsible for the plant after it leaves our direct care. No other
guarantee or warranty applies to these plants.
- We're a certified nursery inspected by the US Departament
of Agriculture on regular basis. We posses a number of certificates,
including CA nematode certificate. Fire Ant certificate, etc. and grow
all plants according to their requirements. We ship only healthy plants
which are apparently free from deseases and pests to the best of our
knowledge at the time of shipment. If your local authority requires
post inspections then it's your responsibility to comply with it. We
can't be hold responsible for incurred extra cost and results of such
inspections.
- We are not responsible for the shipping delays beyond our
control.
- We cannot be responsible for loss or damage during
transportation. Claims for damage in transit should be made to the
carrier. Save all packing materials and contents for inspection by a
carrier representative. See also: Possible
problems in transportation.
- We sell tropical plants, and we suggest you to watch your
weather for safe shipping. We ship year 'round, but we are unable to
monitor the weather at every location, that's why we advice you to let
us know if you're expecting a snow storm, extremely high temperatures,
etc. - so we hold on shipping your order. If weather is not
permitting, plants could be shipped at your own risk.
- Once you received a plant - this plant becomes yours. No
guarantee, expressed or implied, is made for the successful growth
after planting. We will not assume responsibility for plants which have
died as a result of improper planting or care. If you don't
know how to grow a certain plant, please, contact us with any
questions in advance.
- Please remember that plants are living things and require
your immediate attention upon their arrival. Please read our planting
instructions. If you receive a plant which has been damaged
in shipment be sure to notify us as soon as possible.
- If you have received a dead or broken plant, please contact us
immediately. Any claims may be accepted only within 3 days after
delivery. In some cases we may replace a dead or badly damaged plant
only if the damage was caused by improper packaging and only
after receiving a picture of the dead plant or returning the
plant at our expense - in order to determine the reason of damage.
Please contact
us first before sending the plant back to us.
- Shiping and handling charges are not refundable.
- If having any questions about plants cultivation - please
visit our Forum. We try to offer the best
advice we can about hardiness and growing conditions. This is a service
and not a guarantee.
- Orders are accepted without liabilities for
non-performance due to shortages, delays, crop condition or other
conditions beyond our control. We reserve the right to limit quantities
purchased if stock is low.
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Some plants or their parts might be poisonous or cause undesirable reactions or conditions when consumed internally (or inhaled). These plants (such as Brugmansia, Datura, etc.) are marked as poisonous in our Catalog with the appropriate pictogram. Under no circumstance such plants should be used for human or animal consumption. 
Plants marked with a pictogram of Ethnomedical use are not offered as medicine but rather as an ornamentals or collectibles. This pictogram is for information only. We are not responsible for any improper use of these plants. Consult your physician before using any herb/folk pharmacy.
- We do not sell plants known to us as causing severe
allergic reactions, however some people may individually experience
certain conditions, such as skin rush, sneezing, etc. If you are aware
of such sensitivity of yours, consult your doctor prior to plant
purchase.
- Some local laws prohibit growing or importing some plants
- it is your responsibility to comply with the law.
- Under no circumstances we're liable for more than the
invoice at the time of purchase. In no event shall Top Tropicals, its
officers, employees, or other representatives be liable for special,
indirect, consequential, or punitive damages related to products sold.
- SEEDS. Seed is a live product which depends on many important related grower skills such as proper planting time, seed depth, type of soil, irrigation, proper use of fertilizers, weed controls, fungicides, insecticides, disease free soil, and reasonable weather conditions during the growing period. Germination is affected by such factors as temperature, moisture content, light intensity and contamination of planting media. These factors are totally out of our control and are your responsibility and risk. Consequentally, we cannot guarantee seed to perform properly regardless of conditions or your methods or mistakes.
Shipping to Canada and countries other than the US
Please read this important information
carefully before placing your order.
All international orders placed in shopping cart without our prior
approval will be canceled. 10% (or $10 minimum) cancellation fee will
be applied to canceled orders to all countries other than the US.
We don't ship plant retail orders to Canada because of very high cost of handling (phytosanitary inspection, etc) and very low reliability of shipping live plants across the border.
We suggest that if it is possible for you to have the plants delivered to a U.S. address where you can pick them up and carry them across the border yourself, you can receive your plants quickly and at lower cost. In this case, you are not required to get a phytocertificate. We have many customers in Toronto and Vancuver who do that. Please make sure to read rules and regulations governing plant importation to Canada. It's your responsibility to comply with these rules and regulations. Contact uour local agricultural authoroties if you have questions regarding these rules.http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/protect/dir/d-01-03e.shtml
"...2.2 Import Requirements. The import of houseplants under these specified conditions must be for personal and non-commercial use only. For a shipment to be considered non-commercial, the total number of plants must not exceed 50 houseplants. The houseplants must accompany the importer at time of entry into Canada, in baggage or as part of household effects. This directive does not include mail and courier importations of the regulated commodities intended for personal use and these importations must meet the standard plant import requirements. Because the soil might be a source of quarantine pests, the houseplants must not be planted outside at any time even if they might not survive Canadian winters. Note: Houseplants of some plant species must comply with the CITES requirements (See section 2.6)
2.3.1 Houseplants for personal and non-commercial use from continental US.
A Permit to Import or a Phytosanitary Certificate is not required, except if the houseplants are from SOD regulated areas (refer to policy directive D-01-01 for details on regulatory requirements)..."
Florida isn't SOD regulated area.
International orders (other than Canada)
We don't ship retail orders outside of the US. Contact us for wholesale orders.