Importation of Artificially Dwarfed Plants in Growing Media from the People's Republic of China

We are amending the regulations governing the importation of plants and plant products to add artificially dwarfed (penjing) plants of the species Buxus sinica, Ehretia microphylla, Podocarpus macrophyllus, Sageretia thea, and Serissa foetida from the People's Republic of China to the list of plants that may be imported in an approved growing medium subject to specified growing, inspection, and certification requirements. We are taking this action in response to a request by the Government of China and after determining that the penjing plants established in growing media can be imported without resulting in the introduction into the United States or the dissemination within the United States of a plant pest or noxious weed. This rule will relieve restrictions that currently allow these species to be imported only as bare-rooted plants.