Xylella fastidiosa

18 February 2021 - New Measures Announced

HTA has produced a guidance & Q&A document on the strengthened measures for importing Xylella fastidiosa, which will come into force on the 4 March 2021.

Information Pack

The HTA has compiled an Information Pack containing information on what Xylella is, information on plant passporting, a poster for use in your business, and various other tools.

Some members have been using the information within this document to hold cluster meetings with relevant businesses within their 5km radius to promote best practice and working together to help reduce the threat. This can be downloaded here.

The HTA has also produced an infographic showing host plants for the various Xylella fastidiosa subspecies. Please download a pdf of the infographic for printing and viewing.

APHA have also produced a 'Don't Risk It' poster for garden centres to display to advise customers against bringing home plants from trips abroad. Further information on Xylella from the APHA is accessible here.

There is also a UK Government document on implications for importers and users of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants.

Xylella: How can we protect our plants?

Watch the Xylella video to find out more about Xylella and the Plant Passport scheme. Further information on Plant Passports is available here.

Guidance on sourcing plant material

This guidance is for Retailers, Landscapers, Growers, Designers and all dealing with plants in a professional capacity.

What is the threat?

Xylella fastidiosa is one of the most harmful bacterial plant diseases in the world. It can cause severe losses in a wide range of hosts and there would be a massive impact on the plant trade across all business sectors in the event of an outbreak in the UK.

An outbreak of this disease, where several different plants are infected, will trigger immediate stock destruction within 100 metres and a movement ban of host plants within a 5-kilometre radius for up to five years. This will dramatically and immediately affect most plant selling operations, as well as impacting on all businesses dealing in plants within the 5km zone. Gardens could also be affected.

What should businesses do to stop it coming into the UK?

Only buy potential host plants from trusted plant passported suppliers who know where their plants come from. We strongly recommend that potential host plants are not sourced from or near regions where there have been findings of Xylella fastidiosa. Current demarcated areas can be seen here.

The list of host plants is growing and includes many popular garden and landscape plants, such as lavender, rosemary, oak and many others. The current list of confirmed hosts by DEFRA is available on the Plant Health Portal.

Also, the complete EU list can be read here.

What happens if the disease is found in the UK?

The full emergency measures imposed at UK level are only triggered when the disease has spread and there is an OUTBREAK.

The full emergency measures are not triggered if the disease is found on a single plant or within a batch of plants and is diagnosed and contained before it spreads. This is known as an INTERCEPTION. Stock will still be destroyed in this circumstance but the movement ban is very unlikely to come in force.

Additional UK measures have been now been announced by Defra that come into force on 4 March 2021 Find out about these on the Plant Health Portal and also read HTA's guidance document.

Xylella Responsible Sourcing Statement

Following on from the HTA Ornamentals Management Committee meeting on Thursday 13 July 2017, and a retailer Xylella meeting on Thursday 27 July 2017, several businesses agreed on the following statement:

“We have taken the decision NOT to knowingly purchase any host plants originating from regions where the disease Xylella is known to exist. The decision has been taken after detailed consideration as to the potential catastrophic impact the introduction of the disease could have to the UK environment, coupled with the ever increasing number of host plant genera of this disease. This is in line with DEFRA’s good practice recommendations.

The HTA is aware that this is a minimum standard and therefore individual businesses are encouraged to develop their own policy for managing the risks posed by Xylella fastidiosa. ”

The businesses signed up as agreeing to the statement are:

Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens
A & E Bridgen & Son Ltd.
Agrumi Ltd.
Allensmore Nurseries Ltd.
Alton Garden Centre
Amethyst Horticulture
Anglo Aquatic Plant
Armless Nureries
Ashridge Trees Ltd.
Aylett Nurseries Ltd
Ball Colegrave
Barters Farm Nurseries
Barton Grange Garden Centre
Batsford Arboretum & Garden Centre
Baytree Nurseries and Garden Centre
Beaver Plants
Bell Plantation Ltd
Bents Garden & Home
Ben Reid Garden Centre and Nursery
Benary
Bernaville Nurseries
Bickerdikes Garden Centre
Blackbrooks Garden Centre
Blackdown Garden Centre
Blackmoor Nurseries
Blue Diamond Garden Centres
Blue Ribbon Plants
Boningale Nurseries
Bosworths Garden Centre
Bowhayes Trees
Bransford Webbs Plant Company
Bridge Nursery
Bryant’s Nurseries Ltd
Burford Garden Company
Burleydam Garden Centre
Burston Garden Centre
C.W Groves & Son Ltd
Cadeby Tree Trust
Capital Gardens Centres
Carnon Downs Garden Centre
CGJ Mathias & Son (Nurseries)
Channel Island Plants (UK) Ltd
Chapel Cottage Plants Ltd
Chessington Garden Centre
Christies of Fochabers Ltd
ClassifloraZelari
Cleeve Nursery and Garden Centre
Cobbins Nursery Ltd
Coolings Green & Pleasant Ltd.
Coolings Nurseries Ltd.
Country Garden Plant Sales Ltd.
Country Herbs & Plants Ltd.
Cowell's Garden Centre
Craigmarloch Nurseries Ltd
Creative Gardens (NI) Limited
Creepers Nursery
Darby Nursery Stock Ltd.
David Austin Roses Ltd.
De Ree UK Ltd.
Dean's Garden Centre
Deepdale Trees Ltd.
Dibleys Nurseries
Diderk Heinje Nursery
Dobbies Garden Centres
Dorset Plant Company
Double HH Nurseries Ltd.
Duchy of Cornwall Nursery
Earley Ornamentals
Earthstone Landscapes
Europlants UK Ltd
Evergreen Exterior Services
Evergreenhedging.com

Fairways Garden Centre
Fairweather’s
Farplants Group
Ferndale Garden Centre
F. Morrey & Son
Flamingo Plants (formerly Butters Group)
Florna Plants Ltd.
Floranord
Florensis
Forest Lodge Garden Centre
Fosseway Garden Centre
4th Corner Ltd.
Frank P Matthews Ltd.
Fresh @ Burcot
Fron Goch Garden Centre
Frosts Garden Centre Group
Garden Centre Fresh
Garden Centre Plants
Garden House Design
Garden Style Plant Centre
Garden Wise (Dumfries) Ltd.
Gardeners Kitchen Ltd
Gardentime
Garsons Garden Centres
Gates Garden Centre
Gedney Bulb Company Ltd
Glendale Horticulture
Glendoick Garden Centre
Golden Grove Nursery
Gordale Garden Centre
G Palmer and Son Nurserymen Ltd.
Greatfield Nurseries and Garden Centre
Greenshutters Nurseries & Garden Centre
Grovewell Garden Centres
Growforth Ltd.
Guernsey Clematis Nursery Ltd
H A TRIM
Halls of Heddon
Happy Plant Garden Centre
Harling’s Garden Centre
Haskins Garden Centres
Hawkesmill Nurseries
Hayes Garden World
Haywood Landcapes Ltd
Henry Street Garden Centre
Highfield Garden World
Hillier Nurseries and Garden Centres
Hillview Garden Centres
Hortus Loci Ltd
Hollybush Nurseries Ltd.
Holywell Lane Plants
HSK Gardening and Leisure
Infinity Christmas Trees
The Jadecliff Group
James Coles and Sons (Nurseries) Ltd.
James McIntyre & Sons
Javado UK
J & A Grower Ltd.
John Richards Nurseries Ltd.
Johnsons of Whixley
Joseph Rochford Gardens Ltd

Kapiteyn Bv
Kernock Park Plants Ltd
Kershaw's Garden Centre
Key Essentials Ltd
Kieft & Sons Ltd
Kilworth Conifers
Kingsdown Nurseries
Klondyke Group
Knights Garden Centre
KRN House and Garden Plants
Langlands Garden Centre’s
Larch Cottage Nurseries
Lay of the Land Garden Centre
Linden Garden Centre
Liss Forest Nursery Ltd.
Living Landscapes Ltd.
L. J. Smith & Son
Loch-hills Plant Centre
Longstock Park Nursery
Lovania Nurseries Ltd.
Lowaters Nursery
Majestic Trees
Malmesbury Garden Centre
Marchants Nursery
Marlows Home and Garden Ltd
Mayberry Garden Centre
Mclaren's Nurseries
Meadow Croft Garden Centre
Mere House Nursery
Merryhatton Garden Centre
Millais Nurseries
Moles Seeds (UK) Ltd
Monkton Elm Garden Centre
Morley Nurseries Ltd.
Mr Fothergill’s Seeds Ltd
Mulberry Plants Wholesale Nursery
Needlefresh
New Hopetoun Gardens
The Newey Group
Newleaf Plants
Newquay Garden Centre
Norfolk Herbs
The Norfolk Olive Tree Company LTD
North Hill Nurseries
Notcutts Garden Centres
Oakgate Garden Centre LLP
Oakover Nurseries Ltd.
O A Taylor & Sons Bulbs Ltd
Orchard Park Garden Centre
Osberton Nurseries Ltd.
Otter Garden Centres

Pacific Nurseries
Palmers at Ullesthorpe Ltd.
Palmstead Nurseries
Paradise Park
Parkers Flixton Garden Centre
Parkers Mottram Garden Centre
Parkers Anwick Garden Centre
Parker's Nurseries
Pengelly Garden Centre
Pennells Garden Centres
Pentland Plants
Perryhill Nurseries Ltd.
Perrywood Garden Centre
Pershore College Nurseries & Pershore College Plant Centre
Peter Beales Roses Ltd.
Peter Eastwood Plants Ltd
Pickmere Nursery
Planters Garden Centre
Plants for Europe Ltd.
Plants Limited
Plymouth Garden Centre
Poplars Garden Centre Ltd.
Pople Garden Centres Ltd.
Premium Christmas Trees
Profit Plant U.K.
Provender Nurseries
P & R Garden Supplies
Q Gardens Ltd
Quality Ornamentals
Raemoir Garden Centre
Raglan Garden Centre
Rainbow Nursery (Weeley) LLP
Ransoms Garden Centre
RHS Retail
Robert Morton & Sons
Robin Tacchi Plants
Rumwood Nurseries & Garden Centre
Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
Ruxley Nursery
R V Roger Nurserymen
Savin Nurseries
Scotsdales Garden Centres
Seiont Nurseries Ltd.
Shallowmead Nurseries Ltd
Simpsons Garden Centre
Smiths Nurseries
Southdown Landscapes & Turf Co.
South Downs Nurseries
Squires Garden Centres
Stewarts Garden Centres
Stratford Garden Centre
St Peters Garden Centre
Stone Cross Nurseries Ltd
Summerhill Garden Centre
Sunshine Garden Centre
Suttons Nurseries
Syngenta FloriPro Services

The Gardens Group
The Mains of Drum Garden Centre
The Millbrook Garden Company Ltd.
The Old Railway Line Garden Centre Ltd.
The Plant Yard
Thetford Garden Centre Ltd
Thirsk Garden Centre
Thompson & Morgan
Thompsons Plant and Garden Centres
Threaplands Landscaping and Garden Centre
Thurrock Garden Centre
Trade Roots Horticultural Sales Ltd
Treetop Landscapes Ltd.
Tyne Valley Nurseries Ltd.
Van Arnhem Nursery Ltd.
Van Hage Garden Centres
Volmary
W D Smith & Son
Webbs Garden Centres
WeeTree Wholesale Nurseries
Wensleydale Garden Centre
West Kington Nurseries
West Somerset Garden Centre Ltd.
Whartons Nurseries Ltd.
Whetman Pinks Ltd
Whitehall Garden Centres
Woodgate Nursery
Woodlark Nurseries Ltd.
Woodthorpe Hall Garden Centres Ltd.
Worfield Plants
Wyeplants Ltd.
Wyevale Nurseries
Wykeham Mature Plants
Yorkshire Plants

If you wish to add your company name to the list, please email the HTA Policy team with confirmation that you agree to the statement.

The HTA Tree and Hedging Group agreed to a stronger statement at their AGM and Conference in June, agreeing not to knowingly purchase any plants from regions where the disease Xylella is known to exist.

This has also been adopted by some additional companies, as below.

Bernhard's Nursery
British Hardwood Tree Nursery Ltd.
Castle Howard Estate Ltd
Chew Valley Trees
Christie-Elite Nurseries Ltd.
Deepdale Trees Ltd.
English Woodlands
Forestart Ltd
Heathwood Nurseries
Hillier Tree Nursery
Hopes Grove Nurseries
J A Jones
J&A Growers Ltd
James Coles and Sons (Nurseries) Ltd.
Johnsons of Whixley Ltd
Majestic Trees
Oakover Nurseries Ltd
Smiths Nurseries
Thorpe Trees
Van Arnhem Nursery Ltd.
Wee Tree Wholesale Nurseries
Wyevale Nurseries

More information on Xylella can also be found on the Plant Health Portal.