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 mollifolium

Helichrysum mollifolium stands out for its soft, broad, strongly veined leaves and a more delicate, refined colour palette in the heads: outer bracts golden-brown shifting to yellow inside. The plant is a perennial herb with narrow fusiform tubers and a terminal flowering stem, giving it a resilient, perennial “returner” habit in suitable climates.

Endemic to South Africa, it grows in moist grassy depressions, along stream-flats, and on damp forest margins in the KwaZulu-Natal Drakensberg (notably between about 2,100–2,450 m in documented localities). Flowering is recorded from November to February.

This is a superb choice for cool-summer or high-altitude gardens, and for international growers it often performs best in deep pots or raised beds where moisture is steady but drainage is still sharp. The bracts dry beautifully for warm-toned everlasting arrangements, and it also complements water-wise plantings when given a little extra summer moisture – especially compared with strictly xeric species.