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 jubilatum

Helichrysum jubilatum is a Namaqualand gem for collectors who chase small, locality-rich annuals with real “place” in their genetics. Its pale, papery heads are charming in the veld look, and – like many everlastings – can be used decoratively once dried.

This is an endangered South African endemic annual herb with conspicuously large spathulate leaves and dense terminal clusters of small heads. The bracts are especially attractive: outer bracts pale straw-coloured, while the inner series becomes opaque snow-white, giving a crisp white finish over tiny yellow florets.

It is recorded only from Namaqualand (near Lekkersing and Doornrivier) in the Succulent Karoo, and flowers September to November – prime spring season for winter-rainfall growers in South Africa and similar climates abroad.