Here Comes the Sun

Designed by Greg Breeding, an art director for USPS, and illustrated by Nancy Stahl, the stamp features four sunflowers with golden yellow petals, a brown center, and leaves and stems in shades of green against a pale-yellow background. Stahl created the design using ink sketches based on photographic references and then applied color using a vector drawing application.

Versatile Flowers

A dependable source of nectar for birds, bees and butterflies, sunflowers also provide seeds eaten by humans and livestock. The seeds' oil is extracted for cooking. Sunflowers have long symbolized happiness, loyalty and adoration because of their bright, sunlike appearance and the way their young flower heads turn to follow the sun (heliotropism). Named the state flower of Kansas in 1903, sunflowers thrive in several states where there is full sun and well-drained soil. Hardy and easy to grow, sunflowers tolerate dry conditions well. They also offer sustainable benefits in gardens and on farms — including drought resistance, soil rejuvenation through deep taproots, and natural pest control.

Ancient Ties

The sunflower's cultural associations hearken back to the sun gods of ancient Greek and Incan myths as well as Native American tribal associations with good harvests and abundance. Its scientific name, Helianthus annuus, comes from the Greek words "helios," meaning sun, and "anthus," meaning flower.

Stamp Availability

The Sunflowers stamp continues a long tradition of highlighting native flowers on U.S. stamps. Previous sunflower-themed stamps were issued in 2008 and 2012.

The Sunflowers stamp is available in one design in a double-sided booklet of 20 stamps. As a Forever stamp, it will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce rate.

Customers may purchase Sunflowers, other stamps and other philatelic products through The Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon. Additional information on stamps, first-day-of-issue ceremonies and stamp-inspired products can be found at stampsforever.com.

Please Note: The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to more than 170 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is celebrating its 250th year of service to customers amidst a network modernization plan aimed at restoring long-term financial sustainability, improving service, and maintaining the organization as one of America's most valued and trusted brands.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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National contact: Cathy Purcell
[email protected]
usps.com/news

SOURCE U.S. Postal Service