The Postal Service will release its Sunflowers stamp on Saturday, March 14.
The Forever stamp celebrates the versatile native flower known for its beauty, nutritional value, economic importance and ecological benefits.
Prized by both gardeners and pollinators, the sunflower takes its scientific name — Helianthus annuus — from the Greek word “helios,” meaning sun, and “anthos,” meaning flower.
More than 50 distinct species of annual and perennial sunflowers grow in North America.
Like other heliotropic plants, young sunflowers follow the sun’s trajectory from east to west throughout the day. This sun-tracking behavior diminishes as the plant matures and its stem becomes more rigid.
A source of nectar and seeds, sunflowers provide food for birds, bees and butterflies. They also rejuvenate soil through their deep taproots, provide natural pest control and are drought resistant.
The stamp artwork features four stylized sunflowers in shades of yellow, gold and brown with green leaves and stems against a pale-yellow background.
Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, designed the stamps using original artwork from illustrator Nancy Stahl.
Using photographic references, Stahl sketched the initial drawing in ink, then used a vector drawing application to apply final color.
The Forever stamp will be available in booklets of 20 at Post Offices and on usps.com.
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