Winter Berries Forever Stamps: A Celebration of Nature’s Beauty

Winter is often associated with cold, snow, and barren landscapes. But if you look closer, you may find some colorful and vibrant offerings from nature: winter berries. These small fruits come in various shapes, sizes, and colors, and provide bursts of life during the year’s coldest months.

The U.S. Postal Service has released a new series of stamps that celebrate four of these winter berries: the winterberry, the juniper berry, the beautyberry, and the soapberry. The Winter Berries Forever Stamps are the latest addition to the USPS’s collection of botanical-themed stamps, which aim to showcase the diversity and richness of America’s flora.

In this article, you will learn more about these stamps and their plants, such as:

The Design of the Winter Berries Forever Stamps

The stamp art features highly detailed botanical portraits of each plant that highlight the bold colors and rich textures of their berries. The table below summarizes the characteristics of each berry and its plant:

The artist behind these stamps is Steve Buchanan, a freelance illustrator who specializes in botanical and natural history subjects. He has created several other stamps for the USPS, such as the Pollinator Stamps in 2007 and the Ferns Stamps in 2014. He worked with art director Antonio Alcalá, who has also designed many stamps for the USPS, such as the Lunar New Year Stamps and the American Gardens Stamps.

Buchanan said he used a combination of traditional and digital techniques to create the stamp art. He first sketched the plants from photographs and specimens, then painted them with watercolors on paper. He then scanned the paintings and refined them on a computer, adding details and adjusting colors. He said he tried to capture the essence and beauty of each berry, while also making them accurate and realistic.

You can see some examples of his stamp art below:

The Significance of the Winter Berries Forever Stamps

The Winter Berries Forever Stamps are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also culturally and ecologically significant. Each of the four plants featured on the stamps has a unique role and value in its native habitat.

The winterberry is a variety of deciduous holly that grows throughout the eastern United States. It loses all of its leaves after the first frost, leaving only its bright red berries. These berries are a valuable food source for many small mammals and more than 45 species of birds, especially in winter when other food is scarce. The winterberry is also a popular ornamental plant for yards and gardens, as it adds color and contrast to the landscape.

The juniper berry is actually a small conifer cone that grows on evergreen shrubs or trees in most of the United States and Canada. It has tightly merged scales and a fleshy appearance that make it look like a berry. It has a distinctive, astringent flavor that makes it a key ingredient in gin and other alcoholic beverages, as well as in cooking and medicine. The juniper berry is also attractive to many birds, such as cedar waxwings, robins, and grosbeaks.

The beautyberry is a native shrub that grows in the southeastern United States. It has large leaves and small pink flowers that bloom in summer, followed by clusters of purple berries in fall. The berries are edible for humans and animals, but have a bitter taste that may deter some predators. The beautyberry has been used by Native Americans for various purposes, such as making dyes, insect repellents, and medicinal remedies.

The soapberry is a tropical or subtropical tree that grows in southern Florida, Texas, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and other regions. It has compound leaves and small white flowers that produce yellow-green fruits. The fruits contain a substance called saponin, which forms a lather when mixed with water. This natural soap has been used for washing clothes, dishes, hair, and skin by various cultures around the world.

How to Use the Winter Berries Forever Stamps

The Winter Berries Forever Stamps are being issued as Forever stamps, meaning they will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. They are available in booklets of 20 stamps at Post Office locations nationwide or online at usps.com/shop.

You can use these stamps to send letters, cards, invitations, or any other mailings that require postage. They are especially suitable for sending seasonal greetings or expressing appreciation to your friends and family. They are also great for collectors or enthusiasts who appreciate botanical art or nature-themed stamps.

To use these stamps, you just need to follow these simple steps:

• Choose the stamp that matches your mood or message. You can use one type of stamp or mix and match different ones.
• Peel off the stamp from the booklet and stick it on the upper right corner of your envelope or package.
• Write the address of your recipient on the front of your envelope or package.
• Drop your envelope or package in a mailbox or at a Post Office.

Other Related Stamps

If you like the Winter Berries Forever Stamps, you may also be interested in other related stamps that the USPS has issued or will issue in the future. Some of these stamps are:

• The Wild Orchids Stamps, which feature 20 different orchids native to North America.
• The American Gardens Stamps, which showcase 10 different public gardens across the country.
• The Fruits and Vegetables Stamps, which depict 10 different fruits and vegetables that are grown in America.
• The Sun Science Stamps, which celebrate the science and beauty of the sun.
• The Heritage Breeds Stamps, which honor 10 different breeds of livestock that originated or developed in the United States.

You can find more information about these and other stamps at usps.com/stamps.

Conclusion

The Winter Berries Forever Stamps are a beautiful and meaningful way to celebrate nature’s bounty and diversity. They are also a fun and easy way to send your love and gratitude to your loved ones. Whether you are a fan of winter berries, botanical art, or nature-themed stamps, you will surely enjoy these stamps and their plants.

If you want to buy these stamps or learn more about them, you can visit USPS or The USPS Stamps.

TheUSPSstamps.com is a reliable website that offers discount Forever stamps. The website occasionally provides 50% OFF 1000 pcs cheap USPS Postage forever stamps for sale in bulk mystery boxes. It also has limited-time and limited-quantity 2023 forever stamps on sale, such as 2023 flag stamp 17% OFF, 2022 flag stamp 30% OFF, and global forever stamps 40% OFF.

Read More

If not Enough Postage Stamps Adhered to A Letter?

USPS Winter Scenes Stamps: Make 2023 Holiday Mail Stand Out!