Texans Report Surge in Mystery Seeds Mailed From China

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.

A sample of seeds arriving in unsolicited packages with Chinese characters. Texas Department of Agriculture

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.