Forever Beautiful Cactus Flower Stamps from USPS


MESA, AZ — The U.S. Postal Service showcases hidden beauty with the release of Cactus Flowers Forever stamps.

 

Almost all cacti are native to the Americas, ranging from British Columbia and Alberta in Canada to the southern regions of Argentina and Chile. The southwestern U.S. and Mexico are home to the greatest variety and abundance of cacti.

 

Cacti are among America’s most popular houseplants. Most cacti grow very slowly, and are tough, adaptable and low maintenance. Several botanic gardens in the U.S. showcase the wide variety and stunning beauty of these plants. When cacti bloom, visitors experience a vivid floral display. Cactus flowers generally occur singly, although many separate blossoms might appear on a plant at the same time. Most cactus flowers are large and flamboyant, with colors of white, red, pink, orange, or yellow. Some flowers are also richly scented, and the nectar and colors attract pollinators such as bats, bees and birds.

 

The stamps are being issued in booklets of 20. Within the booklet, each stamp design is featured twice.Art director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs taken by John P. Schaefer, a co-founder, along with Ansel Adams, of the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona.

 

Each Cactus Flowers Forever stamp depicts the floral display of one of these ten cacti: Opuntia engelmannii, Rebutia minuscula, Echinocereus dasyacanthus, Echinocereus poselgeri, Echinocereus coccineus, Pelecyphora aselliformis, Parodia microsperma, Echinocactus horizonthalonius, Thelocactus heterochromus and Parodia scopa. Cacti also may have common names, with some varieties having several different names in popular use.

 

Cactus flowers generally occur singly, although many separate blossoms might appear on a plant at the same time. Flowering occurs at different times of the year and even different times of the day or night. Most cactus flowers are large and flamboyant, with colors of white, red, pink, orange or yellow.