FOR INFORMATION AND ACTION

DA-2021-11 

May 26, 2021 

Subject: APHIS Amends Entry Requirements for Importation of Boxwood, Euonymus, 

and Holly from Canada into the United States 

To: State and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials

Effective immediately, the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending entry requirements for the importation of boxwood 

(Buxus spp.), Euonymus (Euonymus spp.), and holly (Ilex spp.) plants for planting from Canada 

to prevent introduction of box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis) into the United States. APHIS 

is taking this action in response to the detection of the pest at a nursery in St. Catharines, 

Ontario. APHIS considers propagative hosts a high-risk pathway for the introduction of box tree 

moth. 

Box tree moth is a serious pest of boxwood, Euonymus, holly, and curry leaf tree (Murraya spp.) 

species, which are pathways for entry of the box tree moth into the United States. Box tree moth 

symptoms include green-black frass and silk threads on the host plant. Larvae feeding on leaves 

and bark can lead to the death of the plants. 

Currently, the importation of all propagative plant material, except seeds, of certain hosts of box 

tree moth are Not Authorized Pending Pest Risk Analysis (NAPPRA). Boxwood is NAPPRA 

from all countries except Canada. Holly is NAPPRA from all countries except Canada and the 

Netherlands. Euonymus is NAPPRA from Europe and must be subjected to post-entry quarantine 

requirements from all other countries except Canada and Japan. Curry leaf tree is NAPPRA from 

all countries. Prior to this Federal Order, shipments from Canada were required to be 

accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate and an additional declaration stating the shipment has 

been officially inspected and found to be free of box tree moth or produced in a facility or area 

officially recognized by Canadian Food Inspection Agency as free of box tree moth as per 

Federal Order DA 2020-07. 

For additional information regarding this Federal Order, please contact Senior Regulatory Policy 

Specialist Narasimha Chary Samboju, at 301-851-2038 or narasimha.c.samboju@usda.gov.

Dr. Osama El-Lissy

Deputy Administrator 

Plant Protection and Quarantine 

Attachment: Federal Order
United States Department of Agriculture

Animal Plant Health Inspection Service

Plant Protection and Quarantine

Federal Order

APHIS amends import requirements of Buxus spp., Euonymus spp., and Ilex spp. plants for 

planting from Canada

DA-2021-11

May 26, 2021

Effective immediately, the United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS) is amending entry requirements for importation of boxwood (Buxus

spp.), Euonymus (Euonymus spp.), and holly (Ilex spp.), plants for planting from Canada to 

prevent introduction of box tree moth (Cydalima perspectalis). 

Box tree moth is a serious pest of boxwood, Euonymus, holly, and curry leaf tree (Murraya spp.), 

and these hosts are a pathway for entry of this pest into the United States. Box tree moth 

symptoms include green-black frass and silk threads on the host plant. Larvae feeding on leaves 

causes defoliation and mortality. Bark feeding by larvae results in desiccation and death of 

plants.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) first detected box tree moth at two sites in 

Toronto, (Ontario), Canada in August 2018. In November 2018, CFIA confirmed the presence of 

this pest in an urban neighborhood in Toronto and posted an official pest report in The North 

American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) Phytosanitary Alert System in February 2019. 

This was the first confirmed report of this pest in North America. Most recently, on April 30, 

2021, CFIA provided information on the detection of the pest at a nursery in St. Catharines, 

Ontario. CFIA subsequently indicated the pest may be present in the surrounding environment.

This Federal Order replaces DA 2020-07 and prohibits the importation of Buxus spp., Euonymus 

spp., and Ilex spp. from Canada into the United States and territories. Buxus spp., Euonymus 

spp., Ilex spp., plants for planting shipments imported from Canada will be refused entry.

This action is necessary because APHIS has determined that the introduction and establishment 

of the box tree moth poses a serious threat to agriculture in the United States.

This Federal Order is issued in accordance with the regulatory authority provided by the Plant

Protection Act of June 20, 2000, as amended, Section 412(a), 7 U.S.C. 7712(a). Under the Act, 

the Secretary may prohibit or restrict the importation, entry, exportation, or movement in 

interstate commerce of any plant, plant product, biological control organism, noxious weed, 

article, or means of conveyance, if the Secretary determines that the prohibition or restriction is 

necessary to prevent the introduction into the United States or the dissemination of a plant pest or 

noxious weed within the United States. The regulatory authority provided by 7 U.S.C. 7754 

allows the Secretary to issue orders to carry out this provision of the Plant Protection Act.
For additional information regarding this Federal Order, please contact Senior Regulatory Policy 

Specialist Narasimha Chary Samboju, at 301-851-2038 or narasimha.c.samboju@usda.gov.