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 pannosum (Gnaphalium pannosum)

A rare coastal grassland treasure for the discerning Helichrysum grower, Helichrysum pannosum brings soft silver foliage and tight, glowing clusters of yellow “everlasting” heads that look tailor-made for dried arrangements. It’s a South African endemic with a naturally limited coastal distribution – especially meaningful for local gardeners restoring indigenous plant palettes.

This is a perennial herb with greyish-white woolly leaves and many small, narrow bell-shaped heads packed into tight clustered sprays. The inner bracts are glossy lemon-yellow, creating that classic, luminous everlasting look even before the heads fully age and dry.

Endemic to South Africa, in habitat it occurs from the KwaZulu-Natal coast southwards to Port St Johns (and also around the Durban–Pinetown area), often on hillslopes near forest patches, and it flowers mainly from April to June. Cultivating from seed can be a genuinely positive way to keep this plant in horticultural circulation.