Helichrysum adenocarpum Common name: Pink Everlasting; Afrikaans name rooisewejaartjie; Sotho name: toaneblingoana; Zulu name: umhlambahloshane obomvu

Although the grasslands are mostly shades of gold and bronze this month, there are still bright treasures lurking if you look closely.

The little Pink Everlastings are at their best in summer when the glossy magenta heads were opened fully to reveal the bright yellow centres. Now they are faded to a more subtle shade and have started to shed their stiff, papery petals. The grey leaves are soft and hairy and the contrast of pink and grey is lovely. This plant is about 30cm tall and is often hidden in the tall grass.

The Helichrysum family is part of the daisy family of which there are many species in Africa and includes all the well-know everlastings – which really do keep their colour for ages if carefully dried. The Genus name comes from the Greek helios which means sun – and they certainly do need to live in a warm sunny spot. Apparently, this plant is used in traditional medicine to treat diarrhoea and vomiting in children.

Click on any of the links below to see another Dargle wildflower