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 homilochrysum

For the collector who loves bold leaves as much as blooms, Helichrysum homilochrysum delivers: large, heart-shaped foliage wrapped in white wool, plus clustered heads that read beautifully against rock and cliff habitats. It’s tailor-made for rock-garden growers, cliff-face specialists, and anyone assembling a “South African montane” theme planting.

Endemic to South Africa, this rare species is shrubby and stout-stemmed, sometimes with stems up to about 450 mm long, and the whole plant can look softly sculpted thanks to its thick, white-woolly covering. The heads sit in compact clusters near branch tips, with semi-opaque, glossy bracts described as pale straw-yellow – subtle, refined colour rather than loud yellow.

It is endemic to the Mpumalanga highlands, recorded from places such as Mariepskop and nearby highland localities, typically on cliff faces and edges around ±1,500 m. Flowering is recorded between July and September, which makes it especially appealing for winter-to-early-spring interest in suitable climates.