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 monticola

Helichrysum monticola is a mountain-dwelling perennial herb with one or several leaf rosettes and large, showy heads carried singly or in small clusters. The bracts are glossy white, with inner bracts often tinged pink or crimson at the base – an elegant, high-contrast everlasting that looks almost hand-painted.

Indigenous to South Africa, it grows on stony grass slopes across a wide high-altitude arc from the Lydenburg area through Mpumalanga and Eswatini, into the Drakensberg and associated ranges, and south through the Transkei and Eastern Cape highlands (often between about 1,500–2,700 m). Flowering is recorded between December and February.

This species is a standout for collectors who love white-bracted everlastings and subtle pink detailing, and it’s excellent for cutting and drying. In South Africa it thrives in sunny, well-drained mountain garden settings; internationally, it’s well suited to alpine houses, troughs and pots where cool nights, strong light and gritty substrates can be provided.