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 lineare (Helichrysum seineri) – Geilsiekteopslag

A classic, hardworking groundcover everlasting, Helichrysum lineare is perfect for gardeners who want a low, spreading plant that looks neat, silvery, and tough – yet still throws cheerful little flower heads for months. It also carries a local common name recorded as “Geilsiek(te)opslag,” underlining its long familiarity in parts of South Africa.

Indigenous to South Africa, this is a prostrate perennial with a stout taproot and narrow linear leaves, often slightly sticky and gland-dotted, giving the foliage a textured, aromatic feel. The small heads are packed in tight clusters, and the bracts are typically opaque white (sometimes buff or pink-tinged), framing yellow flowers that may show a faint pink tipping. Flowering is mainly late winter into early summer (August to December), with some records earlier in the year.

It’s widely distributed across the drier interior – spreading eastwards through multiple South African regions and into neighbouring countries including Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and areas near the Okavango, thriving in bare or seasonally wet places and happily colonising disturbed ground. Internationally, it suits Mediterranean and semi-arid gardens: sun, sharp drainage, and occasional deep watering beat frequent light watering, and it makes a superb “silver mat” between rocks or along dry paths.