Not LAX but San Francisco and other airports. I think the rule is the same for continental US though. Basically when you file the custom form, they ask you if you are bringing back any plant, seed, culture, etc. Answer yes to that, and when you go through the custom, they will ask you to go to a scanning room when they scan your luggages.

For fresh leaves they will not likely pass them and will probably throw them out in front of you. For seeds, you can register with the authority (I forgot how but you can do a search. They now allow small/individual importer of seeds). After you obtained the approval, then whenever you send seeds from overseas, you have to package and label them in a specific way, and you send the seeds to their office. They will study and quaranteen the seeds if needed for a while before they forward the seeds to you.

For commercially prepared seeds (like seed packet). They are less strict. While theoretically they still want to quaranteen the seeds, I have never had problem bringing them in. I always honestly answered "yes" to the question, and they sent me to the scanning room but let me go after they scanned the luggages. I think they are more concerned about fresh leaves, roots, and things like that.

I think that is basically it for common people like myself. I don't know about formal importing of plants, however.

There is a "professional gardening" forum on GardenWeb. The people there are mostly nursery owner or backyard nursery owner. Maybe they can give you better answer/suggestion.

My understanding you need to get an inspection passed in the origination country for a fee - and provided that you are carrying no soil and it is not the agricultural crops, it will work.

Keep investigating.

irina