State officials worry that seeds arriving in the mail could be invasive plant species or carry pests and diseases that threaten native crops or livestock.
Texas state agricultural officials issued fresh warnings on Jan. 15 after hundreds of residents received unknown seeds in the mail that they never ordered.
In just the first 15 days of this year, officials collected 126 bags of unsolicited seeds that had arrived in the mailboxes of Texas households, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. Texas had already recorded more than 1,100 bags of unsolicited seeds over the course of the past year.
“These packages are pouring in faster and further than ever before,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a statement on Jan. 15.
State officials worry that seeds coming in the mail could be invasive plant species or carry pests and diseases that pose a threat to native crops and livestock.
“They may look innocent, but the danger is real,” Miller said. “One invasive species, pest, or pathogen could devastate Texas farms, ranches, natural resources, and food supply.”
The Texas Department of Agriculture issued the first warning to Texans in February 2025 after receiving communication from a resident of Clute, Texas, who had received an unsolicited package containing seeds and liquid from China.
Those seeds were later identified as Nelumbo nucifera, also known as sacred lotus or Indian lotus, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. The unlabeled liquid in the package was determined to be plant food.
The Texas Department of Agriculture cautioned that the sacred lotus is considered invasive in many regions, particularly when introduced outside its native range in Asia. Although the sacred lotus is not on the federal list of noxious weeds, it is currently prohibited in one state, Wisconsin.
One of the first affected residents reported ordering a dog toy from Temu, a Chinese online shopping platform, before receiving unsolicited seeds in the mail, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture
The department is working with federal authorities to identify the origins of other seeds. Officials urged residents who receive unsolicited seeds in the mail not to open the packages or plant the seeds.
By Dorothy Li
