GPS May 2020

Design: Stefan Klein und Olaf Neumann, Iserlohn
Theme: Zinnia © Stefan Klein und Olaf Neumann, Iserlohn
Value: 0,50 EUR
Size: Width 21,50 mm; Height 30,13 mm
Issue Date: 2 April 2020
The zinnia (Zinnia elegans or Zinnia violacea) shown on the new
special postage stamp from the permanent series “Flowers”, which originally
comes from Mexico, is a summer flower that also thrives extremely
well in our temperate climate. Since the 19th century, the nectar-rich
flowers with their variety of colors and shapes have not only adorned
parks and decorative beds in domestic gardens, the robust and undemanding
perennial from the daisy family (Asteraceae) has also set colorful
accents as a container plant on balconies and window sills. The colorful
flower heads are also ideal as cut flowers. In early 2016, an orange
zinnia was grown on the International Space Station, which has since
been the first flower grown in space. The zinnias were part of NASA’s
veggie program, which the US space agency uses to research the growth
of plants in zero gravity. The experiments should lead to space travelers
being able to supply themselves with vegetables they have grown in the
future.
Two Shades of Gray
May 2020 185