Experts issue severe warning as mysterious seeds from China are being mailed to US homes

The public has been issued a safety warning after packages containing seeds sent to the US from China have been delivered to homes across the country.

Anyone who receives one of these mysterious parcels, which often contain strange-looking seeds in a clear packet with Chinese writing, has been urged not to plant them or even open the packet.

The Texas Department of Agriculture has collected more than 1,000 packets of these seeds in the last 11 months, after residents in 106 locations across the Lone Star State received these unsolicited parcels.

Experts are warning that these deliveries could 'devastate' the agriculture industry if planted, potentially sparking a wave of invasive plant species. But despite posing a risk to US biosecurity, that apparently isn't why these mysterious seeds are being sent.

Officials have collected over 1,000 packets of these seeds (Texas Department of Agriculture)

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has warned: "At a glance, this might seem like a small problem, but this is serious business.

"The possible introduction of an invasive species to the state via these seeds poses real risks to Texas families and the agriculture industry. We need everyone to report these packages when they arrive so the contents may be gathered and disposed of properly."

Officials were first alerted to the issue in February, 2025, when a man in Clute received a package containing unidentifiable seeds and a liquid, causing officials to warn the public about opening unexpected parcels.

Investigators quickly linked the delivery to a surge in other cases recorded across the country, particularly in Ohio, Alabama, and New Mexico.

But rather than an attempt at bioterrorism, authorities believe that these Chinese packages are actually part of a well-known review scam, known as brushing.

Don't open unsolicited packages, authorities have warned (Getty Stock Image)

What is brushing?

The brushing scam involves sending a number of low value products, like seeds, to a large number of random addresses in order to place fake reviews in their names and bolster their online rankings.

But as these seeds could spread invasive weeds or pests, agriculture officials are reminding people not to open these parcels.

"One invasive species, pest, or pathogen could devastate Texas farms, ranches, natural resources, and food supply. We cannot gamble with Texas agriculture," Commissioner Miller said in a public alert. "Unsolicited seeds coming into our country are a risk to American agriculture, our environment, and public safety."

Any homes that receive an unsolicited package of seeds are being urged to report the delivery to their local department of agriculture for further guidance.

Questions remain for customs officials over how this wave of packages containing foreign plant matter is not being spotted as they enter the country.

In an interview with News 4 San Antonio, the commissioner said: "We’ve got a flaw in our security system. These things are coming direct ship. Customs is not picking this up.

"Some of these seeds have been invasive species, noxious weeds that we don’t want to get started in our agriculture crops. It could ruin agriculture production."

The Texas Department of Agriculture said it's working with federal partners 'to collect, test, and safely dispose of all unsolicited seed packages'.