Winter Berries Forever Stamps

Value: 78¢ 1-ounce First-Class Rate (Forever)
Issue Date: September 17, 2019
First Day City: Tulsa, Oklahoma
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Double-sided Booklet of 20

During the cold, gray months of winter, even the smallest burst of color can brighten the season. Often, that color comes from songbirds that remain year-round. While feeders provide some support, the best way to help these birds—and other wildlife—survive the cold is by planting winter berries.

Winter berries are trees and shrubs that hold their fruit through the winter. Some retain their leaves, while others display only bare branches adorned with vivid clusters of berries. These plants offer essential nutrition for a variety of birds, including woodpeckers, quail, robins, waxwings, and catbirds, which typically rely on insects but turn to berries when food is scarce.

In 2019, the United States Postal Service honored four of these remarkable plants with a set of Forever stamps: winterberry, juniper, beautyberry, and soapberry. Popular as cold-weather food sources, these native species not only sustain wildlife but also bring striking natural beauty to snowy landscapes.

Planting region-appropriate varieties helps ensure balance in local ecosystems, preventing non-native plants from outcompeting native ones. Whether chosen to support backyard wildlife or simply to add color to a winter garden, winter berries remind us that even in the harshest season, nature finds a way to thrive.