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

In 2019, the U.S. Post issued 10 new Forever stamps picturing different cacti in bloom. The species shown were Engelmann’s prickly pear, fire crown, Texas rainbow, dahlia, scarlet hedgehog, hatchet, golden Tom Thumb, eagle’s claw, glory of Texas, and silver ball. They are just a handful of the many cacti that produce beautiful flowers.

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 heterochromous, and Parodia scopa. Cacti also may have common names, with some varieties having several different names in popular use.

🌵 Cactus Flowers Forever Stamps – Mother Nature’s Fireworks

The Cactus Flowers Stamps were issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 2019 to celebrate the hidden beauty of desert plants in bloom. These stamps highlight the flamboyant colors and resilience of cacti, often described as “Mother Nature’s fireworks.”

Key Features:

• 📅 Issue Date: February 15, 2019 (Mesa, Arizona – AmeriStamp Expo)
• 💵 Value: Forever (First-Class Mail, 1 oz.) – valid regardless of future postage increases
• 🎨 Designs: A set of 10 different stamps, each depicting a cactus flower species:
  1. Engelmann’s prickly pear (Opuntia engelmannii)
  2. Fire crown (Rebutia minuscula)
  3. Texas rainbow (Echinocereus dasyacanthus)
  4. Dahlia cactus (Echinocereus poselgeri)
  5. Scarlet hedgehog (Echinocereus coccineus)
  6. Hatchet cactus (Pelecyphora aselliformis)
  7. Golden Tom Thumb (Parodia microsperma)
  8. Eagle’s claw (Echinocactus horizonthalonius)
  9. Glory of Texas (Thelocactus heterochromous)
  10. Silver ball cactus (Parodia scopa)
• 👩‍🎨 Art Director: Ethel Kessler
• 📸 Photographer: John P. Schaefer
• 📦 Format: Booklet of 20 (each design appears twice)

Suitable Occasions

• ✉️ Everyday correspondence – add a burst of color to routine mail.
• 🎉 Holiday cards – especially fitting for Southwest or desert-themed greetings.
• 🌍 Nature & conservation campaigns – highlight biodiversity and resilience.
• 💌 Personal notes – perfect for brightening someone’s day.
• ✨ Collectors – 10 unique designs make this issue highly desirable.

Usage Suggestions

• As Forever Stamps, they retain full mailing value regardless of future postage increases.
• Pair with rustic or desert-themed stationery for a cohesive look.
• Ideal for bulk mailings—weddings, business promotions, or seasonal cards.
• Collectors may preserve full panes or first-day covers to showcase all 10 cactus species.

🌟 Symbolism & Appeal

Cactus flowers bloom in harsh environments, symbolizing resilience, beauty, and surprise. Their vivid reds, pinks, yellows, and violets remind us that life thrives even in the most challenging conditions.

Stamp Pattern Background

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 at different times of the day or night. Most cactus flowers are large and flamboyant, with colors of white, red, pink, orange, or yellow.

“The U.S. Postal Service has a long history of celebrating Earth’s floral diversity,” said Postal Service acting Manager of Operations and Support for the Western Area John DiPeri during the stamp’s first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony today. “Cacti in bloom have been described as Mother Nature’s fireworks. Their reds, pinks, yellows, and violets bring to life a plant synonymous with an environment where few living things thrive.”

The ceremony was held in conjunction with the AmeriStamp Expo at the Mesa Convention Center, where DiPeri was joined by William J. Gicker, the Postal Service’s acting director of Stamp Services, and Ken Schultz, executive director of the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, AZ.

The cactus flower stamps are being issued in booklets of 20. These cactus flower stamps will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. Within the booklet, each stamp design is featured twice. Art Director Ethel Kessler designed the stamps with existing photographs taken by John P. Schaefer.