Helichrysum petiolare
Botanical Name | Helichrysum petiolare |
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Family | Asteraceae - The daisy family. |
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Pronunciation | hel-ih-KRY-sum pet-ee-OH-lair-ee |
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Common Name(s) |
English: Silver Bush Everlasting; Licorice plant
Afrikaans: Kooigoed
IsiXhosa: Imphepho; ubuhlungu
IsiZulu: Imphepho; ubuhlungu
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General Information |
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Specific Information | Helichrysum petiolare is grown for its silvery, densely-felted, aromatic foliage and trailing habit. A soft, vigorous, woody-based sub-shrub, it grows to half a meter tall and spreads to a diameter of about a meter. It flowers in its second year. A slight licorice aroma may emanate from the foliage in the heat of the summer. It is short lived and needs replacing every 2 years. In cold climates it can be grown as an annual but it will not reach the size of plants that have grown for more than one season. Cultivars with variegated and chartreuse leaves are available. Helichrysum petiolare is listed as an invasive weed in the state of California (USA), where seedlings have escaped from gardens. |
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Description | profuse heads of tiny flowers on long stalks |
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Distribution and Habitat | Western Cape (Cederburg and Jonkershoek Mountains), Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal, in the drier inland parts, on sheltered slopes and along forest margins |
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Planting Suggestions | Kooigoed is best planted in full sun in well-drained soil and is tolerant of poor soils. It spreads rapidly and should be cut back lightly at regular intervals, rather than cutting back to dead wood at the end of the season, when it may not easily recover . Helichrysum petiolare requires occasional to infrequent irrigation and seems to thrive on a lack of care. More regular watering may be needed in hot, dry inland regions. The plant is susceptible to root rot in poorly drained soils. This plant can be propagated from cuttings or from seed sown in autumn (March). |
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Medicinal Uses | Helichrysum petiolare is popular medicinal plant used to treat ailments such as coughs, colds and infections. The leaves are used by Rastafarians to make an infusion to treat asthma, chest problems and high blood pressure. The smoke of the burning leaves is inhaled as a pain reliever. The leaves are also widely used on wounds to prevent infection. The Khoikhoi used the leaves and flowers as bedding, hence the name 'kooigoed', translated as 'bedding stuff'. This mattress was soft, had a pleasant smell and is thought to have deterred vermin. A pleasant and effective insect repellent against flies and mosquitoes can be made by burning a mixture of the leaves of Helichrysum and Artemesia afra. |
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Comments
Helicrysum petiolare
can I grow H. petiolare in a high rainfall area in the Northern Rivers area of NSW Australia. I need a fast and dense ground cover over a fairly steep bank, therefore should be low maintanance.
Helichrysum petiolare
Hi Gisela
I don't think I would recommend this species for a high rainfall area. It thrives best in very dry conditions and the high humidity would possibly cause problems with fungal growth. However, I have come across two hybrids that seem to be able to tolerate more moisture, namely 'Liquorice Splash' and 'Limelight'. Also consider that this is a short lived plant and would have to be replaced after a couple of years. There are so many fast growing ground covers that thrive in wet conditions that you could use in its place. Plectranthus immediately comes to mind. I am pretty sure they are available in Australia and there are many low-growing species that would perform even better than Helichrysum. They also flower profusely and last for years.
Hope you find something useful
Lorraine
Helichrysum Petiolare
Can Helichrysum Petiolare be ingested as a tea?
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