BURLINGAME, CA — The U.S. Postal Service dedicated its Dahlias stamps Saturday at the WESTPEX Stamp Show in Burlingame.

Dahlias belong to the prodigious Asteraceae family, which also includes sunflowers, zinnias, asters, rudbeckias and daisies. Their exuberant blooms have long delighted gardeners and ornamental plant lovers for their remarkable diversity and rich displays of color.

These 10 colorful, floral stamps feature close-up images of dahlias and their pistils. The pink, white, yellow, magenta and red blossoms were photographed in private gardens using natural light.

Dahlias are native to Mexico and Central America, where they grow as wildflowers and were cultivated in Aztec gardens. Around 1789, the director of the Botanical Garden of Mexico City sent dahlia seeds to the Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid. From there, they spread to other European cities where they became popular because they are easily hybridized and cultivated. Many new types emerged during this time. These gorgeous new varieties prompted a dizzying frenzy of dahlia growing, which reached its apex during the Victorian era.

By the mid-19th century, dahlias had arrived in the United States, where they also flourished. Through the years, as backyard gardeners looked to less flamboyant plants that were easier to maintain, dahlias lost favor. Today, they have experienced a resurgence in popularity in the United States and worldwide.

Greg Breeding, an art director for the Postal Service, designed the stamps using images by photographer Denise Ippolito.

Dahlias are being issued as Forever stamps in booklets of 20 and coils of 3,000 and 10,000. They will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. 

###