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 sessilioides (Helichrysum aretioides) – Summit Everlasting

For growers who love Drakensberg-style cushions but want something with bigger, bolder heads, Helichrysum sessilioides is a standout. It has the same compact, rounded, “tucked into the rocks” aesthetic – but with notably larger solitary heads and layered bracts that can carry subtle blush tones.

This is a very compact cushion-forming dwarf shrub with tightly imbricate leaves that dry to a silvery-grey. The heads are large, solitary, and sessile at the tips, with many series of bracts: outer bracts can be pale brown, rose-pink, or crimson, while inner bracts are white or rose-tinged; the florets are yellow. That bract layering gives an especially “luxury” everlasting look – excellent for collectors who prize fine bract detail.

Conservation data notes it is not endemic to South Africa, with South African records in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape – strongly associated with high-altitude Drakensberg-region flora. For international growers, this points to a plant that typically prefers cool nights, bright light, sharp drainage, and moisture in the growing season without waterlogging. Flowering occurs from spring to summer.