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 cochleariforme (Helichrysum imbricatum) – Gold-and-silver Everlasting

If you love the look of true Cape coastal flora, Helichrysum cochleariforme brings that windswept, dune-garden charm in a compact, collectable form. It’s a rare South African endemic from the southwestern and southern Cape, naturally occurring in open sandy places in coastal scrub and dune hollows – perfect inspiration for growers worldwide working with Mediterranean climates, sandy soils, or seaside conditions.

This is a bushy little half-shrub (about 5–20 cm tall) with narrow grey, woolly leaves and neat, medium-sized flowerheads held singly or in small clusters. The bracts are distinctive: warm reddish- to golden-brown, with the innermost often tipped an opaque milk-white and subtly spreading – giving that “gold-and-silver” contrast that reads beautifully up close. Flowering is mainly in spring to early summer, from September to December (especially October).

In the garden it’s an excellent choice for rockeries, coastal beds, raised sandy berms, and pot culture where drainage is sharp. The naturally papery, long-lasting bracts make it a rewarding cut-and-dry subject for everlasting arrangements, while its tight habit suits collectors who want a species that looks composed even when grown in small spaces.