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 herbaceum (Helichrysum squamosum, Xeranthemum herbaceum) – Monkey-Tail Everlasting, Monkeytail Everlasting

If you want a tough, adaptable “everlasting” that looks wild and authentic rather than fussy, Helichrysum herbaceum is a brilliant pick. It’s an excellent choice for naturalistic plantings, pollinator-friendly beds, and for rehabilitating open ground where you want a fast, resilient perennial to knit a planting together. Like many Helichrysum species, the genus is also well known for aromatic foliage and a long history of traditional use in parts of Africa (specific applications vary by species).

Indigenous to South Africa, this is a stoloniferous perennial herb that forms spreading colonies, sending up leafy flowering stems up to about 400 mm tall. The flower heads are showy and often solitary, wrapped in glossy, straw-to-golden bracts with inner bracts lemon-yellow – classic “golden everlasting” vibes in a botanically honest form.

It has an impressively wide Afrotropical-to-southern African range, occurring from central/eastern Africa southwards through the eastern highlands and into South Africa and Lesotho, across several biomes. Flowering is recorded from October to April, and it can also move into disturbed or open areas – useful for gardeners and restoration growers who need performance, not drama.