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 lesliei

If you want a bold, architectural everlasting with “golden-crown” drama, Helichrysum lesliei is a standout: woolly rosettes, stout stems, and big, showy heads built for display. It’s the kind of plant that looks equally at home in a wild grassland garden in South Africa or a sunny collector’s bed anywhere with a summer-rainfall rhythm.

This range restricted South African endemic soft-wooded subshrub forms one or several woolly leaf rosettes and sends up erect flowering stems that can reach about 600 mm. The large heads sit in an open, leafy inflorescence, with glossy bright yellow bracts that exceed the flowers, creating that classic “everlasting” shine; the florets are yellow. Flowering is in late summer to autumn (January to April).

It has been recorded from quartzite-linked sites in Mpumalanga (Lydenburg/Belfast/Barberton districts) and also from hills north of Johannesburg, fitting a Grassland/Savanna context. For best results, give full sun, lean well-drained soil (rocky mixes are ideal), and moderate watering in the growing season – then keep it on the dry side in winter for cleaner growth and better flowering performance.