Genus: Helichrysum

Common Names: various, includes immortelle, strawflower and everlasting

Description coming soon.

Distribution: Africa, Eurasia, Australia

Helichrysum heldreichii

Common name(s): rockrose

Description: evergreen shrub; endemic to cliffsides in West Crete. Compact, rounded growth with linear gray foliage that sometimes looks "too gray to still be alive" and yellow flower clusters in summer.  Longer-lived in very lean, gritty soils with little to no supplemental irrigation. Rare in cultivation.

Height: to 2 ft. Spread: to 2 ft.

Position: full sun and lean, well-draining soil

Uses: ornamental

Winter Hardiness: to 10 F and below

Drought: adapted to 5 months of summer drought

Distribution: W. Crete

Helichrysum italicum 'Miel et Curry'

Common name(s): honey and curry plant

Description: evergreen shrub; a compacy selection by Olivier Fillipi of Pépinière Filippi in France for its especially fragrant flowers on hot summer days. Grows into a low mound of pleasantly aromatic, silver foliage that smells of curry spices when brushed. This is not the curry leaf popular in South Asian cuisine (see Murraya koenigii) but it is used very sparingly in medicine and some cuisines around the Mediterranean. 

Height: to 2 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.

Position: full sun and lean, well-draining soil

Uses: medicine, culinary- used sparsely in some Mediterranean cuisine, ornamental

Winter Hardiness: to 5 F and below

Drought: adapted to 5 months of summer drought

Helichrysum italicum 'Wood's Silver'

Common name(s): Silver Wood's curry plant

Description: evergreen shrub; a selection made by the late Oregon plantsman, Ed Wood. Tidier growth and more silvery foliage than the common form. Grows into a low mound of pleasantly aromatic foliage that smells of curry spices when brushed. Mustard yellow flower clusters in summer. This is not the curry leaf popular in South Asian cuisine (see Murraya koenigii) but it is used very sparingly in medicine and some cuisines around the Mediterranean.

Height: to 2 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.

Position: full sun and lean, well-draining soil

Uses: medicine, culinary- used sparsely in some Mediterranean cuisine, ornamental

Winter Hardiness: to 5 F and below

Drought: adapted to 5 months of summer drought

Helichrysum SILVER STITCH 'HYBHS20024' 

Common name(s): silver stitch curry plant, dwarf curry plant

Description: evergreen shrub; a densely-branched dwarf selection introduced by Selecta one. A compact ever-silver with aromatic foliage that releases a pleasant aroma of curry spices when brushed. Rarely flowers. Best grown in very lean, nutrient sparse soil with very little to no supplemental water. Utter neglect is the key to longevity with this one.

Height: to 18 in. Spread: to 18 in.

Position: full sun and lean, well-draining soil

Uses: ornamental- in the rockery

Winter Hardiness: to 15 F and below

Drought: adapted to 5 months of summer drought