Melinda,
I privately shipped Pu-Erh and other teas (up to 20kg) from China to
the US and elsewhere, just declared it as "tea" on the customs form,
the guys at the post office had to watch me packing it (kind of a
requirement? in Kunming) and that was it. Never had any
problems/complaints, everything just went fine.

Karsten / Darjeeling