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 tenuifolium

With its needle-like leaves and compact inflorescences, Helichrysum tenuifolium delivers a refined, alpine-shrub look that reads beautifully in rock gardens and troughs. It’s described as very showy, and it rewards growers who can offer bright light, sharp drainage and cool nights – perfect for highland-style collections.

This is a twiggy, rounded South African endemic shrub that can reach about 2 m, with narrow linear leaves and dense clusters of small heads. The bracts are particularly attractive: outer bracts are very pale brown (often with reddish/orange tones when young), while the inner bracts are bright canary-yellow; florets are in the yellow range typical of the genus. Flowering is mainly November to December.

Wild populations are highly localised: it grows in colonies among rocky gullies, streamsides and boulder beds above about 1,650 m, recorded only from the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg between Cathedral Peak and the upper Polela area west of Himeville. For collectors, that restricted range makes it especially satisfying to establish responsibly from seed.