Gordon Beningfield (British, 1936 - 1998) "Standing Cypress" Signed lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover of the U.S. 29c Standing Cypress stamp issued July 24, 1992. A showy flower of early to midsummer, standing cypress blooms from May to August. The plume of tubular orange-red flowers is borne on a tall, straight stalk. The inside of the flower is dappled with yellow streaks or splotches. The leaves are pinnately divided into almost threadlike segments, creating an airy, feathery look. Standing cypress prefer well-drained soils of sandy, open areas and gravel-strewn river banks. Although native to the southeast, standing cypress has escaped cultivation and become naturalized in some areas of the northeast. A biennial, standing cypress has a two year growth cycle; the first year it develops a good root system and the second year it produces foliage and flowers. A favorite addition to gardens, standing cypress readily reseeds itself. Attracted by the scarlet flowers, hummingbirds feed on the sweet nectar. Because of their close similarities, the genus Ipomopsis often is used synonymously with Gilia -- a genus of more western species. Image Size: 7 x 6 in. Overall Size: 11.5 x 10.5 in. Unframed. (B13481)