Add floral style to your letters with these stunning vintage unused American Wildflower series "Plains Prickly Pear" 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: Plains Prickly Pear (Cactus)
• Series: American Wildflower
• Year Issued: 1992
• Face Value: 29-cents (USD) per stamp
• Topic(s): Cactus, Plants, Flowers, Wildflowers, Flora, Botanical, Southwest, Southwestern Wedding, Prairie
• Color(s): Orange, Red, 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
• Scott Number: 2685
• Adhesion Type: Gummed (see adhesion instructions below)
• Condition: Genuine Unused USPS Postage Stamps, Ready to Use for USPS Mailings, Mint Condition

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 an adequate amount of additional postage to achieve standard postage rates according to the weight of your mailing. Check current postage rates on the USPS website.

STAMP DESCRIPTION & HISTORY: On July 24, 1992, in Columbus, Ohio, the USPS issued a set of 29-cent postage 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 the Plains Prickly Pear (Opuntia polyacantha), a hardy cactus native to prairies, grasslands, and high plains regions across central and western North America. The design presents a close-up view of the cactus pads—flat, rounded segments covered with clusters of spines—topped by a luminous, cup-shaped blossom. The flower is typically rendered in vivid yellow with a warm orange-red center, though this species can also produce pink or magenta blooms in nature. The clean, light background emphasizes the bold contrast between the delicate petals and the rugged cactus structure, highlighting the dramatic beauty that emerges from an otherwise thorned form.

FLOWER DESCRIPTION: The Plains Prickly Pear flower is large and showy, often 2 to 3 inches wide. Its silky petals radiate outward in layered symmetry, surrounding a dense cluster of golden stamens at the center. The bloom appears unexpectedly soft and luminous against the cactus’s armored pads. Flowering typically occurs in late spring to early summer, transforming dry prairie landscapes with sudden bursts of color. The plant itself grows low to the ground, spreading horizontally and thriving in sandy or rocky soils where few other species can survive.

STAMP MEANING & SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE: Spiritually, the Plains Prickly Pear represents resilience, protection, and beauty emerging from adversity. The contrast between its spined exterior and radiant blossom symbolizes the idea that strength and vulnerability coexist. The cactus teaches that boundaries (its spines) are not barriers to beauty but safeguards that allow it to flourish in harsh environments. The bright yellow bloom, often associated with vitality and clarity, reflects inner light and optimism even under difficult conditions. Because it thrives in open plains exposed to wind, drought, and temperature extremes, the Plains Prickly Pear embodies endurance and grounded presence. Its brief but brilliant flowering period serves as a reminder that even in austere landscapes, moments of joy and expression are both possible and powerful. As captured on the 1992 29¢ stamp, this wildflower stands as a tribute to the quiet strength and surprising brilliance of America’s prairie ecosystems.

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).

PROCESSING & SHIPPING: Orders are typically processed and shipped within 1-3 business days of placing your order. All orders are shipped from California — please allow additional time for transit.

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…

VISIT MY MINTED STORE: https://www.minted.com/store/heritageposthouse

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.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: This product description text and product photos are copyrighted by Heritage Post House – All Rights Reserved


Product Specifications

Length: 1.57 in.
Height: 0.01 in.
Width: 0.98 in.
Weight: 0.01 lbs.