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 aureum var. serotinum

For growers who want a “golden everlasting” that keeps going later, var. serotinum is the late-season mountain form – pushing its display beyond mid-summer into autumn conditions in the high Drakensberg. This South African indigenous species is a strong choice for cool-summer gardens and high-altitude collections.

Plants are perennial herbs with rosettes and several flowering stems; the heads are larger and carried on long leafy stalks. The bracts radiate in glossy yellow, often with a brown tinge on the outer series, and the florets are yellow – classic everlasting construction with a robust mountain feel. Flowering is recorded from December through May.

In habitat it occurs in open grassland on mountain slopes along the Drakensberg (from around Cathedral Peak Forest Reserve south to Barkly Pass), in the high Lesotho mountains, and on Mount Gilboa in the Karkloof Range, roughly 1 800–2 600 m. That profile suggests a plant that appreciates sun, airflow, and excellent drainage, with enough moisture in summer to mimic montane grassland conditions.