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 mixtum var. grandiceps

This striking variety is prized for its noticeably larger flowerheads (hence grandiceps) while retaining the classic H. mixtum habit: a perennial herb with several erect stems from a woody stock and a rosette of grey-woolly basal leaves. The heads are bigger and showier, with glossy, bright yellow to orange radiating bracts that read as “gold discs” at a distance.

It is more localised than the typical variety, recorded from the Graskop/Mac-Mac area through western Eswatini to Piet Retief, on grassy mountain slopes in Grassland and Savanna biomes. Flowering is noted in December, January and February.

For collectors, var. grandiceps is a premium choice for high-altitude style beds, alpine planters, and summer-rainfall gardens where its bold, papery heads can be harvested for everlasting bunches. As with many Helichrysum, it also suits water-wise planting designs and pollinator-friendly sunny borders, and the broader genus has a well-documented history of traditional medicinal use across Africa.