HS code · 2-digit chapter

HS Code 06 – Trees and other plants, live; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage

What HS 06 covers

Chapter 06 of the Harmonized System (HS) encompasses 'Trees and other plants, live; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage.' This chapter is crucial for the global horticultural and floriculture industries, covering a wide array of living plant materials primarily intended for planting, landscaping, or ornamental display. The scope is broad but specific, focusing on plants in their live state or parts of plants used for propagation or decoration, such as bulbs, tubers, cuttings, and fresh or preserved cut flowers and foliage. It explicitly excludes edible vegetables, fruits, cereals, or oil seeds intended for consumption, which fall under other chapters (e.g., 07, 08, 10, 12). Key sub-categories include HS 0601 for bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes; HS 0602 for other live plants, including trees, shrubs, and seedlings; HS 0603 for cut flowers and flower buds; and HS 0604 for ornamental foliage, branches, and other plant parts without flowers. Classification within this chapter is critical for trade compliance due to stringent phytosanitary regulations, import permits, quarantine requirements, and potential CITES restrictions for endangered species. Historically, the trade in live plants and flowers has grown exponentially, driven by global demand for landscaping, home gardening, and special events, making accurate classification vital for smooth customs clearance, duty assessment, and preventing the spread of pests and diseases. Understanding these headings ensures proper valuation and adherence to international biosecurity standards.

Covers
  • Live rose bushes
  • Tulip bulbs
  • Orchid plants (live)
  • Poinsettia plants
  • Live Christmas trees (cut for decoration)
  • Cut roses for florists
  • Hydrangea cuttings
  • Ornamental grass seedlings
  • Juniper shrubs
  • Live bonsai trees
  • Ginger rhizomes (for planting)
  • Lily bulbs
  • Fresh eucalyptus branches for bouquets
  • Dried lavender stems (for ornamental use)
  • Moss for floral arrangements
  • Live cactus plants
  • Apple tree saplings (for planting)
  • Strawberry crowns (for planting)
  • Live bamboo plants
  • Cut carnations
  • Decorative fern foliage
  • Rooted grapevine cuttings
  • Succulent plants
  • Live turf grass sod
  • Evergreen tree saplings
Examples

A Dutch exporter regularly ships thousands of tulip and hyacinth bulbs (HS 0601) to nurseries and garden centers across the United States. These consignments travel in refrigerated containers from Rotterdam to New York, requiring strict phytosanitary certificates issued by Dutch authorities and adherence to USDA import regulations to prevent the introduction of foreign pests and diseases. Separately, Colombian florists air freight millions of fresh-cut roses and carnations (HS 0603) daily to Miami International Airport for rapid distribution throughout North America, especially leading up to holidays like Valentine's Day. Customs clearance is expedited due to the perishability of the product, with checks for proper labeling and phytosanitary compliance being paramount. In another scenario, a specialized Japanese nursery exports meticulously cultivated live bonsai trees (HS 0602) to high-end collectors in Europe. These delicate plants are shipped in climate-controlled containers from Yokohama to Antwerp, often necessitating CITES permits for certain rare or protected species to ensure legal and sustainable trade. Finally, growers in Ecuador export fresh ornamental eucalyptus foliage and other decorative greenery (HS 0604) to floral wholesalers in Germany and the UK, often consolidated with cut flowers, arriving by air freight into Frankfurt or London, where quick customs processing is crucial to maintain freshness and market value.

Headings in chapter 06 4

06.01Bulbs, tubers, tuberous roots, corms, crowns and rhizomes; dormant, in growth or in flower; chicory plants and roots other than roots of heading no. 121206.02Plants, live; n.e.c. in heading no. 0601, (including their roots) cuttings and slips; mushroom spawn06.03Flowers; cut flowers and flower buds of a kind suitable for bouquets or for ornamental purposes, fresh, dried, dyed, bleached, impregnated or otherwise prepared06.04Foliage, branches and other parts of plants, without flowers or flower buds, and grasses, mosses and lichens; suitable for bouquets or for ornamental purposes, fresh, dried, dyed, bleached, impregnated etc.

23 Brazil NCM codes in chapter 06 →

Codes often confused with 06

Common mistake. Common misclassification errors in Chapter 06 often arise from confusing live plants for planting or ornamental use with edible products or seeds. For instance, live plants intended for planting to produce edible vegetables (e.g., tomato seedlings, potato seeds) can be mistakenly classified under Chapter 07 (Edible vegetables). While Chapter 06 covers plants for propagation, Chapter 07 is strictly for edible products. Similarly, fruit tree saplings (e.g., apple, citrus) are in 0602 if for planting, but the harvested fruit falls under Chapter 08 (Edible fruit). The distinction lies in the primary purpose: 'live plant for propagation/ornamentation' versus 'edible product.' Furthermore, seeds for sowing (e.g., flower seeds, vegetable seeds) are classified under Chapter 12 (Miscellaneous grains, seeds, and fruit) and not Chapter 06, which focuses on the actual live plant or its parts (bulbs, cuttings, etc.), not the dry seeds. This distinction is vital for accurate duty assessment and adherence to specific import regulations.

06.02Plants, live; n.e.c. in heading no. 0601, (including their roots) cuttings and slips; mushroom spawn

Top exporters and importers of HS code 06, 2025

In 2025, the largest exporter of HS code 06 in UN Comtrade data was the Netherlands, with 48% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was the United States, with 15% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports

  1. 1 Netherlands $13.9B
  2. 2 Colombia $2.4B
  3. 3 Italy $1.5B

World total: $28.7B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

Top importers 2025 · share of world imports

  1. 1 United States $4.0B
  2. 2 Germany $4.0B
  3. 3 Netherlands $2.8B

World total: $26.8B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

How these figures are built

109 countries reported 2025 trade to UN Comtrade in HS 2022, and their own totals are used. Countries that did not report are estimated from what other countries recorded trading with them. Those estimates miss trade with other non-reporting countries, so they can be low, and a non-reporting country can rank higher than shown or be missing from the list. World totals add both and leave out trade between two non-reporting countries. Figures are in current US dollars; reported imports are mostly valued CIF and exports FOB, and exports include re-exports. The UN Comtrade links show the underlying records; they can also list a few reporters left out here (regional groups and older HS editions).

Source: UN Comtrade (United Nations Statistics Division), 2025 annual data.

Questions about HS 06

What is HS code 06?

HS code 06 is a 2-digit chapter in the Harmonized System that covers: Trees and other plants, live; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage. Chapter 06 of the Harmonized System (HS) encompasses 'Trees and other plants, live; bulbs, roots and the like; cut flowers and ornamental foliage.' This chapter is crucial for the global horticultural and floriculture industries, covering a wide array of living plant materials primarily intended for planting, landscaping, or ornamental display. The scope is broad but specific, focusing on plants in their live state or parts of plants used for propagation or decoration, such as bulbs, tubers, cuttings, and fresh or preserved cut flowers and foliage. It explicitly excludes edible vegetables, fruits, cereals, or oil seeds intended for consumption, which fall under other chapters (e.g., 07, 08, 10, 12). Key sub-categories include HS 0601 for bulbs, tubers, and rhizomes; HS 0602 for other live plants, including trees, shrubs, and seedlings; HS 0603 for cut flowers and flower buds; and HS 0604 for ornamental foliage, branches, and other plant parts without flowers. Classification within this chapter is critical for trade compliance due to stringent phytosanitary regulations, import permits, quarantine requirements, and potential CITES restrictions for endangered species. Historically, the trade in live plants and flowers has grown exponentially, driven by global demand for landscaping, home gardening, and special events, making accurate classification vital for smooth customs clearance, duty assessment, and preventing the spread of pests and diseases. Understanding these headings ensures proper valuation and adherence to international biosecurity standards.

What products fall under HS code 06?

Live rose bushes, Tulip bulbs, Orchid plants (live), Poinsettia plants, Live Christmas trees (cut for decoration), Cut roses for florists, Hydrangea cuttings, Ornamental grass seedlings, Juniper shrubs, Live bonsai trees, Ginger rhizomes (for planting), Lily bulbs, Fresh eucalyptus branches for bouquets, Dried lavender stems (for ornamental use), Moss for floral arrangements, Live cactus plants, Apple tree saplings (for planting), Strawberry crowns (for planting), Live bamboo plants, Cut carnations, Decorative fern foliage, Rooted grapevine cuttings, Succulent plants, Live turf grass sod, Evergreen tree saplings

What are common misclassifications for HS code 06?

Common misclassification errors in Chapter 06 often arise from confusing live plants for planting or ornamental use with edible products or seeds. For instance, live plants intended for planting to produce edible vegetables (e.g., tomato seedlings, potato seeds) can be mistakenly classified under Chapter 07 (Edible vegetables). While Chapter 06 covers plants for propagation, Chapter 07 is strictly for edible products. Similarly, fruit tree saplings (e.g., apple, citrus) are in 0602 if for planting, but the harvested fruit falls under Chapter 08 (Edible fruit). The distinction lies in the primary purpose: 'live plant for propagation/ornamentation' versus 'edible product.' Furthermore, seeds for sowing (e.g., flower seeds, vegetable seeds) are classified under Chapter 12 (Miscellaneous grains, seeds, and fruit) and not Chapter 06, which focuses on the actual live plant or its parts (bulbs, cuttings, etc.), not the dry seeds. This distinction is vital for accurate duty assessment and adherence to specific import regulations.

Which countries are the top exporters of goods under HS code 06?

In 2025, the top exporters of HS code 06 in UN Comtrade data were the Netherlands ($13.9B, 48% of world exports), Colombia ($2.4B) and Italy ($1.5B). World exports came to about $28.7B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Which countries are the top importers of goods under HS code 06?

In 2025, the top importers of HS code 06 in UN Comtrade data were the United States ($4.0B, 15% of world imports), Germany ($4.0B) and the Netherlands ($2.8B). World imports came to about $26.8B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

How is HS code 06 structured?

HS code 06 is a 2-digit chapter code in the Harmonized System maintained by the World Customs Organization. It represents a broad category of goods and contains multiple 4-digit headings and 6-digit subheadings for more specific classifications.