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 transmontanum

For mountain-grassland collectors, Helichrysum transmontanum is a bold, upright subshrub with a distinctly “highland” feel – stout stems, glandular foliage, and large brownish everlasting heads that look superb against grasses. It’s an excellent seed choice for growers who love rarer regional taxa and want a plant that reads rugged and architectural rather than dainty.

This South African indigenous species forms a subshrub up to about 1.5 m, with leaves that are acute to strongly acuminate and noticeably glandular-setose. The heads are large and carried in an open, leafy terminal inflorescence; the bracts are glossy and range from straw-coloured to light brown, creating a warm-toned display. Flowering is recorded in March and April, making it a valuable autumn bloomer in summer-rainfall gardens.

It is recorded from montane grassland and known only from the highlands of Mpumalanga and western Eswatini, from the Duiwelskloof/Woodbush area south to Forbes Reef and the Mbabane districts. For cultivation, aim to mimic bright mountain conditions: sun, airflow, and well-drained soils with seasonal moisture.