Everlasting flower
Helichrysum arenarium

Family: Asteraceae

What it is like

A herb. It keeps growing from year to year. The rhizome is woody. It grows 10-60 cm tall. It forms clusters. There can be a few or many flowering stems.

There are about 500 Helichrysum species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. In western China it grows on grassy slopes between 400-2,400 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Balkans, Belarus, Bulgaria, Central Asia, China, Europe, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mongolia, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, Türkiye, Ukraine

How it is used for food

The yellow flowers are dried and added to herbal tea for colour. The leaves are dried for tea.

Plants are sold in local markets.

Edible parts

Flowers - colour tea, leaves - tea

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Altimotu, Paryavsam, Peščeni smilj, Puren

Synonyms

Gnaphalium arenarium L.;