Claret Cup Cactus Postage Stamps | American Wildflower Series | Red Orange Flower | Botanical | Vintage Unused USPS Postage 29c

Add floral style to your letters with these stunning vintage unused American Wildflower series "Claret Cup Cactus" postage stamps! This classic botanical design is perfect for adding timeless beauty to your save-the-dates, wedding invitations, thank you cards, shower invites, birth announcements, and other snail mail correspondence. In pristine mint condition and valid for current postage use, each stamp holds a face value of 29-cents. These authentic USPS postage stamps are suitable for current mailing when used with the total required postage based on the weight of your mailing. Deliver floral elegance with this exquisite vintage postage stamp!

STAMP INFORMATION:

• Name: Claret Cup Cactus
• Series: American Wildflower
• Year Issued: 1992
• Face Value: 29-cents (USD) per stamp
• Topic(s): Plants, Flowers, Wildflowers, Flora, Botanical, Desert, Cactus, Southwest, Mexican
• Color(s): Red, Orange, Green, Black, Multicolored
• Mailing Occasions: Wedding Invitations, Save the Date Announcements, Shower Invitations, Birth Announcements, Thank You Cards, Valentine’s Day, Snail Mail, and more…
• Printing Method: Offset Press and Lithography
• Scott Number: 2660
• Adhesion Type: Gummed (see adhesion instructions below)
• Condition: Genuine Unused USPS Postage Stamps, Ready to Use for USPS Mailings, Mint Condition

STAMP DESCRIPTION & HISTORY: On July 24, 1992 the USPS issued a set of stamps honoring 50 of the most popular varieties of wildflowers that grow across the United States. Each of the species featured on these lovely stamps is native to North America and can be found today in at least one of the 50 states. The stamp features Claret Cup Cactus (Echinocereus triglochidiatus), a desert cactus known for its brilliant spring blossoms. The design presents a cluster of cylindrical cactus stems covered in short spines, topped by striking cup-shaped flowers in vivid scarlet to crimson red. The blossoms open widely to reveal bright yellow stamens at the center, creating a dramatic contrast against the muted green cactus body and pale background.

FLOWER DESCRIPTION: Claret Cup Cactus is a perennial cactus native to desert and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The plant typically forms dense clumps of upright, ribbed stems that grow close together. In spring, large cup-shaped flowers bloom at the tops of the stems, often appearing before many other desert plants begin flowering. The blossoms are usually brilliant red or scarlet, though orange-red shades also occur. Each flower may reach several inches across, making them especially striking against the spiny cactus surface. These bright blooms attract pollinators such as hummingbirds and native bees.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: Spiritually, the Claret Cup Cactus symbolizes resilience, protection, and the emergence of beauty from hardship. The cactus’s protective spines represent boundaries and self-preservation, while the brilliant red blossoms symbolize passion, vitality, and life force thriving even in harsh environments. The contrast between the rugged exterior and vibrant flower reflects the idea that strength and beauty can coexist.

Historically, Claret Cup Cactus has long been a notable feature of desert landscapes in the American Southwest. Indigenous peoples were familiar with the plant and sometimes used its fruits for food. Naturalists and botanists have admired the species for its ability to produce brilliant flowers in otherwise austere environments. As depicted on the 1992 29¢ stamp, the Claret Cup Cactus stands as a vivid tribute to the resilience and dramatic beauty of America’s desert wildflowers.

STAMP SERIES HISTORY: The 1992 American Wildflower postage stamp series was a commemorative issue featuring a pane of 50 different 29-cent stamps, with each stamp displaying a unique watercolor illustration of a native U.S. wildflower. The series was released on July 24, 1992, in Columbus, Ohio, to coincide with the AmeriFlora '92 international exposition. Alaska-based watercolor artist Karen Mallary designed the artwork and selected the 50 distinct flowers featured in the collection, with at least one stamp/flower representing each of the 50 states. The U.S. Postal Service described the 1992 American Wildflower series as carrying a message of "natural grace and beauty". In dedicating the pane of 50 different stamps, Assistant Postmaster General Gordon Morison stated they would "blanket the postal landscape" and carry the message that "our nation's wildflowers add natural grace and beauty to our lives".

GUMMED STAMPS: These postage stamps have a traditional moisture-activated gum on the back. These stamps require licking or wetting to adhere to envelopes or other surfaces. To ensure good adhesion, apply vintage gummed stamps to your mailings with a glue stick (we recommend using Elmer's "Re-Stick" glue sticks).

GENUINE USPS POSTAGE: These unused vintage postage stamps are perfectly valid for use as current postage for mailing with USPS as long as you use the adequate amount of additional postage to achieve standard postage rates according to the weight of your mailing. Check current postage rates at USPS.com.

QUESTIONS? We love hearing from our customers and replies to inquires are usually answered the same day. Need more of this stamp? Looking for a particular stamp not found on our website? Want a curated postage set for your special event? Contact us with questions about vintage postage stamps and our services…

TELL YOUR STORY IN STAMPS: We’ve worked with hundreds of couples and their stationers to custom design highly stylized personalized postage sets based on our customer’s life stories. We can help you curate personalized vintage postage sets to commemorate your save-the-date, wedding, shower, announcement, and other special occasions in a truly unique fashion. Drawing on our encyclopedic knowledge of every stamp ever issued by the USPS, and sourcing from our extensive inventory of collectable unused vintage stamps, we’ll help you tell your unique story in stamps!

ABOUT HERITAGE POST HOUSE: Jennifer Kramer is the founder of Heritage Post House, a boutique vintage postage house located in Northern California. Jennifer sources the most beautiful unused vintage postage stamps ever issued by USPS and artfully arranges them into curated postage sets that are sure to add a special touch to your invitations, announcements, and special mailings. In addition to creating pre-arranged postage sets, Jennifer also works with couples (and their stationers) to create one-of-a-kind custom postage arrangements for wedding invitations, save the dates, and other special occasions.

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