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 refractum

Rare, dune-loving, and unusually textural, Helichrysum refractum is the kind of everlasting that collectors chase for its tight, tufted flowering clusters and its ability to form low, dense carpets in the right conditions. It brings a subtle, “wild fynbos edge” look – perfect for naturalistic plantings and sand-garden palettes where refined browns, silvers and straw tones feel intentional rather than loud.

This is a much-branched perennial that can sprawl or form a compact rounded bush or mat, with narrow leaves that are woolly and strongly rolled at the margins; with age the leaves bend back, adding to its bristled, sculptural feel. The heads sit in dense clusters and the bracts are translucent, pale golden-brown – an elegant “bronze-paper” effect rather than bright yellow. Flowering is recorded mainly in September, with additional records in March and April.

Globally, it’s a South African endemic, known only from parts of South Africa’s Eastern Cape (Albany, Port Elizabeth and Alexandria districts), occurring in shrub communities and inland sand dunes, including wet-season dune-vlei margins near Addo. Grow it like a specialist sandland plant – full sun, fast-draining sandy soil, and a light hand with watering once established. Uses are primarily ornamental and conservation-oriented (cultivating a scarce local endemic), with the added value of crisp, papery heads for drying and display.