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 crispum (Gnaphalium crispum) – Woolly Everlasting, Hottentot’s Bedding; Hotnotskooigoed, Hottentotskooigoed, Hottentotskruie, Kooigoed

Helichrysum crispum is the kind of plant that sells itself the moment you brush past it: a hardy, fast-growing, aromatic perennial with soft, silvery foliage and a natural “cushioning” habit. It’s associated with sandy places – coastal or inland dunes and other sandy ground – especially along the Cape coast, and it’s widely appealing to both local growers and international gardeners looking for drought-tough, textured groundcovers.

The plant makes spreading stems (often rooting at the nodes) clothed in white silky wool, with spathulate to obovate leaves and dense clusters of small heads. The bracts are opaque creamy-white and noticeably crisped/undulate – an instantly recognisable feature that gives the flowers a frilled, papery look. Flowering is mainly from October to December, and horticultural observations commonly place the peak display from late spring into summer.

It’s brilliant for rockeries, sandy borders, hanging baskets, and coastal gardens, and the papery blooms are useful for dry arrangements. Endemic to South Africa, traditionally it has a rich cultural story too: it was used as bedding by Khoisan people, and the aromatic foliage has been noted as a practical insect/pest deterrent – details that add depth for collectors who value ethnobotanical context alongside beauty.