Shipping policy

Shipping Policy

This policy applies to all orders placed on this store. A plain-language version, with more detail on how plants are packed, is on our Shipping page.

1. Where we ship

Fernclay ships within the United States only. We do not ship internationally. All prices and shipping charges are in US dollars.

2. Who fulfils your order

Fernclay is an online-only shop and does not hold inventory. Orders are fulfilled and shipped directly by our grower partner in the United States. Your parcel comes from the growing operation rather than from a warehouse or distribution centre.

Fernclay remains the seller and your point of contact for the entire order. You do not need to contact the grower about anything.

3. Processing and ship days

Orders are passed to the grower within 1 business day of being placed.

The grower ships Monday through Wednesday. This is deliberate. A live plant shipped later in the week can sit in a sorting facility over the weekend, and days in a dark box are what turns a healthy plant into a stressed one. An order placed on a Thursday will normally ship the following Monday.

Orders are not processed or shipped on weekends or public holidays.

4. Delivery timing

We do not quote delivery dates, transit times, or carriers, and we do not guarantee arrival by any particular date. Once a parcel is with the carrier, timing is outside our control and outside the grower's control. Your tracking information is the most accurate information available about your shipment.

For the same reason, a live plant is not a reliable choice for a gift that must arrive on a specific day.

5. Shipping charges

Shipping is free on every order within the United States, with no minimum order value. No shipping charge is added at checkout.

Where an order contains items that must ship separately, each shipment is still free of charge.

6. Weather holds

Live plants ship year-round. In extreme heat or freezing conditions, the grower may hold an order until conditions improve, because temperature extremes in transit will damage or kill a live plant regardless of packing.

If your order is held, you will be notified. Holds are normally short. If you would prefer not to wait, contact us and we will cancel the order and refund you in full.

7. Agricultural shipping restrictions

The interstate movement of live plants is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture and by individual state departments of agriculture, in order to limit the spread of plant pests and diseases between growing regions. Some plants require inspection certification to enter certain states, and some plants may not enter certain destinations at all, particularly when shipped in soil.

Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, and other US territories may be restricted destinations for live plants. Certain mainland states also restrict particular genera or plants shipped in soil, and these rules change over time.

If an item in your order cannot lawfully be shipped to your address, we will contact you and refund that item in full. You will not be charged for an item that cannot be sent. If you are unsure whether we can ship to you, ask through the contact form before ordering.

Non-living goods such as planters, tools, and fertiliser are not subject to these restrictions, with one exception: air plant fertilizer cannot be shipped to California.

8. Tracking

Tracking information is emailed to you when the grower ships your order. A link is also included on your order confirmation. If you have not received tracking after several days, check your spam folder and then contact us.

9. Addresses, cancellations, and changes

You are responsible for the accuracy of the shipping address entered at checkout. Address changes and cancellations are possible only before the grower ships. Contact us within 12 hours of ordering.

Once an order has shipped it cannot be recalled, redirected, or cancelled. Parcels delivered correctly to an address supplied by the customer are not eligible for refund or replacement.

We do not ship to freight forwarders and cannot guarantee the condition of live plants delivered to parcel lockers, mailrooms, or held-for-pickup locations.

10. On arrival

Open your parcel on the day it is delivered. If a plant arrives damaged, dead, or badly stressed, contact us within 14 days of delivery with photographs of the plant and the packaging and we will ship a free replacement under our Arrive Alive Guarantee. See also the Return and Refund Policy.