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 aureofolium

Rarely seen in cultivation and tailor-made for the serious collector, Helichrysum aureofolium offers that special thrill of growing something truly localised. Its compact size and rocky-slope heritage make it a natural for troughs, alpine-style pans, and tight rock crevices – anywhere you want a plant that looks born to stone.

This tufted perennial herb carries white, woolly stems and softly greyish-white leaves. The heads are small to medium, solitary or in small groups, but the real signature is the bracts: light golden-brown, long-pointed, and slightly spreading – subtle “gold leaf” tones rather than bright yellow.

Endemic to South Africa, in the wild it’s recorded from rocky sandstone slopes at only two known localities: Grootrivier Pass (Clanwilliam district) and near Matjiesrivier in the Agter Cedarberg. Flowering is recorded in September, so it’s a spring jewel for the Western Cape and for overseas growers who can offer cool-wet winters, bright light, and fast drainage.