Endangered plants shipped illegally rescued in US

Every year thousands of plants are illegally imported into the US. They can carry diseases that threaten commercial crops. If they escape into the wild they can overwhelm native species.

But many of the plants are themselves endangered and the global trafficking trade has pushed some species, particularly orchids, to the point of extinction in some regions.

But there is hope, thanks to a network of rescue centres across the US that takes in so-called refugee plants seized at US ports and borders.

Jane O'Brien visited one of the largest centres, located at the US Botanic Garden.

Filmed and edited by Maxine Collins