There’s a reason Helichrysum has earned names like “everlasting,” “strawflower,” and “golden immortelle.” Across Africa, Eurasia, Madagascar, and even parts of Australia, this remarkable genus has adapted into an astonishing range of forms – from compact alpine cushions on windswept peaks to sprawling coastal pioneers on dunes, and tall, aromatic shrubs rising through savanna grassland. Many species seem almost sculpted for harshness: felted leaves that reflect heat, resinous scent glands that reduce water loss, and papery bracts that hold their colour long after flowering.

In southern Africa especially, Helichrysum becomes a signature of wild landscapes. Some species carpet high Drakensberg slopes like silver mats; others form tidy, upright tufts in montane grassland; and some are so specialised that they cling to cliff faces or root into shallow pockets of stony soil. The flowers, often arranged in tight button-clusters or open daisy-like heads, glow in tones of yellow, cream, white, pink, copper, red, and rose – and in many species the “petals” are actually brilliantly coloured bracts that preserve their beauty even when dried.

Beyond their ornamental appeal, Helichrysum carries deep cultural importance. Many species are traditionally used for fragrance, medicinal preparations, ceremonial burning, and as protective plants. For modern growers, they offer the irresistible combination of wild provenance, drought resilience, and striking textures – a true collector’s genus, equally suited to naturalistic gardens, rockeries, alpine troughs and habitat restoration planting.

Helichrysum ammitophilum

This is a fine, grassy-textured everlasting that suits collectors chasing Highveld and montane grassland species – subtle, neat, and very “place-specific” in character. It’s also a good option for naturalistic grassland plantings where smaller yellow heads provide sparkle without overpowering companion grasses.

A perennial herb with a slender creeping rootstock, it forms tufted, erect stems (about 150–200 mm) with narrow linear leaves that may curve like tiny sickles. Flowering is notably concentrated – recorded in February – with bright yellow heads held in compact clusters.

It occurs on stony or sandy turf on hilltops and slopes around 1,675 m, recorded from the Harrismith–Bethlehem–Ficksburg area (Free State), Leribe (Lesotho), and into the Witteberg/Dordrecht region (Eastern Cape), within the Grassland biome. Grow it hard and sunny, with sharp drainage and a summer-rain style watering rhythm if you’re imitating its natural cycle.