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 heterolasium

If your collecting leans alpine and dramatic, Helichrysum heterolasium is one of those high-mountain species that feels like it belongs on a cliff ledge above the clouds. It’s a standout for cool-climate gardeners, rock-garden specialists, and anyone who appreciates rare Drakensberg endemics with bold, luminous colour. Fresh growth is described as aromatic, which adds to the sensory appeal for growers who enjoy fragrant foliage in their collections.

Indigenous to South Africa, this is a biennial herb that can reach around 800 mm tall when flowering, with a first-year basal rosette that persists into the second season. The plant carries large, often solitary-looking heads with glossy, bright yellow bracts (often with paler golden-brown tones on the outside), giving it a rich “sunlit” look even in misty montane weather.

It’s recorded only from the high Drakensberg in KwaZulu-Natal, growing in tall rough grassland on steep slopes and boulder-strewn gullies between roughly 2,280 and 2,850 m. Flowering is noted from January to April – prime late-summer mountain season – making it a meaningful target species for serious endemic-seed collections.