NH Residents Told Not To Plant Weird, Unsolicited Seeds

WINDHAM, NH — If you get a weird package of seeds in the mail that you did not order, do not plant them.

People in about 30 U.S. states, including New Hampshire, have received the odd seed mailings recently. State and federal agriculture officials are warning residents not to plant them because seeds might sprout invasive plants that could harm the local ecosystem.

"While the exact types of seeds in the packages are unknown, the seeds are thought to be invasive plant species, and not believed to be harmful to humans or pets but could pose a significant risk to agriculture or the environment," Massachusetts agricultural officials said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food, the seeds may be part of a "brushing" scam — where retailers send unsolicited items hoping to boost sales through positive online reviews.

"At this time, we don't have any evidence indicating this is something other than a 'brushing scam' where people receive unsolicited items from a seller who then posts false customer reviews to boost sales," the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement Tuesday.

But if you do get the seeds, do not throw them away. Keep the packaging intact and then email piera.siegert@agr.nh.gov with your contact information.