Recent stamps, souvenir sheets feature colorful, edible and medicinal flowers

New Stamps of the World – By Denise McCarty 

The world is filled with flowers. An estimated 390,000 species are known to science and more are discovered every year, according to a report compiled by Britain’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Recent stamps picture just a few of these species.

Pitcairn Islands’ July 18 floral issue is called Colors of Paradise. The six se-tenant (side-by-side) stamps depict flowering plants that thrive in the subtropical climate of these islands in the South Pacific.

Each stamp in the top row is denominated $1, and the stamps depict hibiscus (Rosa sinensis), bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) and hanging lobster claw (Heliconia rostrata).

The three $2 stamps in the bottom row picture flamingo flower (Anthurium andraeanum), red ginger (Alpinia purpurata) and purple allamanda (Allamanda blanchetii).

Rachel Walker designed the stamps. Southern Color Print of New Zealand printed them by offset.

Japan

Flowers are a popular theme on recent stamps of Japan with three issues in the first half of June alone.

Morning glories and sunflowers are pictured on two stamps in the June 1 Summer Greetings set.

Eight of the 10 stamps issued June 6 for the 69th national tree-planting festival reproduce photographs of flowers.

NHK, the Japan Broadcasting Corp., reported that the tradition of the tree-planting festival began “in 1950 as part of efforts to rebuild war-torn Japan.” Minamisoma, the site of this year’s festival, was devastated by the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami.

Symbolic flowers are featured on all 20 stamps in the Greetings/Flowers in Daily Life set. The stamps were issued June 13 in two booklets: one with 10 52-yen stamps, and the other with 82y stamps.

Finland

New Greeting stamps from Finland also display a variety of flowers. Minna Immonen, an illustrator of books and postcards, designed the stamps.

Finland Post reported that the flowers pictured include Veitch’s peony, hydrangea, poppy, harebell (also known as bluebell) and daisy.

Finland Post added, “The stamps are perfect for greetings and convey sensitivity, joy, Finnishness and of course happiness.”

These nondenominated domestic-rate stamps were issued May 9 in panes of 15 (three each of the five designs).

Bosnian Croat Administration

Each year since 2007, the Bosnian Croat Administration has issued a stamp or souvenir sheet on May 22 in a series called Myths and Flora.

This year’s issue uses heather flowers (Calluna vulgaris) to illustrate the myth of the fairies who sing and dance inside Vjetrenica Cave.

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Heather blooms from July to September in the region where the cave is located.

The 5-mark stamp was issued in a souvenir sheet of one.

The stamp shows the flowers, and the selvage depicts a fairy in the cave holding a bouquet of them. Her garment is decorated with the flowers.

Sweden

Sweden’s Nature’s Larder issue includes five nondenominated domestic-rate stamps showing edible flowers and plants.

Postnord (the combined postal administration of Sweden and Denmark)said, “Making the most of what nature has to offer has become popular again, and more and more people are treating the natural world around them as their larder.”

The first stamp depicts sweet violet and garlic mustard. Lawn daisies and wild garlic are pictured on the second stamp. The other three stamps pair dandelion and wych elm, common chickweed and ground ivy, and garden yellow rocket and stinging nettle.

Nadia Norbom created the illustrations for the stamps, and designed them as well. They were issued May 3 in booklets of 10, five of each design.

Hungary

A souvenir sheet issued by Hungary May 2 celebrates true lavender as the medicinal plant of the year. The single 1,000-forint stamp in the sheet depicts lavender flowers.

Krisztina Maros designed the souvenir sheet. Hungary’s Magyar Posta described the design as  being “dominated by the colour purple in reference to the flower of true lavender, which evokes the atmosphere of the Sun and broad lavender fields. The simplified depiction reminiscent of folk motifs highlights the elegant appearance of the plant.”

The Hungarian Society for Pharmaceutical Sciences' medicinal plant section selects the medicinal plant of the year.