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 mimetes – Curry Everlasting

Helichrysum mimetes is a compact, silvery shrublet (to about 60 cm) with softly tomentose branches and distinctive leaves that narrow into a petiole-like base – giving the plant a neat, sculpted look even when not in bloom. Its many small flowerheads are carried in open, branched clusters, finished with crisped, straw-coloured to creamy papery bracts that catch the light like parchment.

Naturally, this species favours rocky outcrops and broken cliffs in the Grassland and Savanna biomes, and is indigenous to Mpumalanga and western Eswatini (Swaziland), from the Mariepskop/Blyde River area through to the Barberton Mountains. Flowering is recorded mainly from May to September.

For growers, it’s an excellent collector’s everlasting for rock gardens, crevice plantings, or raised beds where drainage is sharp and roots can stay cool and aerated. Like many Helichrysum, it also fits beautifully into water-wise, sunny plantings and can be enjoyed as an “everlasting” for long-lasting dried arrangements. Across the genus, Helichrysum species are also widely valued in traditional medicine in parts of Africa, adding cultural interest for ethnobotanical collections.