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 stenopterum (Achyrocline stenoptera, Helichrysum gerrardii, Helichrysum hochstetteri) – Imphepho; Kliptee, Klipteebossie

If you’re after an “everlasting” that doesn’t behave like a neat little daisy, Helichrysum stenopterum is the wild, aromatic climber-scrambler of the group – threading through vegetation in wet places and lighting up the edges of marshy scrub with golden heads. It’s a brilliant option for collectors, ecological gardeners, and growers who want something unusual for moist, sunny margins.

It’s a South African indigenous perennial herb with scandent stems and branches that can reach impressive lengths, and it’s described as strongly aromatic. The heads carry canary to golden-yellow bracts, a bright “signal colour” that reads beautifully against the plant’s pale, woolly structure. Flowering is recorded in autumn, especially April and May.

Ecologically it grows in streamside or marshside scrub, climbing through rank vegetation, and it has a wide distribution from the eastern half of South Africa through multiple African countries and even Yemen. Kew’s Plants of the World Online also reflects a broad native range across parts of tropical and southern Africa. For cultivation, think seasonal moisture and space to wander – perfect for naturalised wetland edges, rain gardens (in warm climates), or lightly managed thicket margins.