Helichrysum has been compared to lavender in that the two are panaceas: they have an incredibly vast array of uses in both the cultural and medicinal realms. Helichrysum has been used since ancient times in Greece as an herbal medicine, where author Pedanius Dioscorides describes the petals of the flower being macerated in a goblet of wine and drunk to cure ailments such as hernias and snake bites. However, the notoriety of helichrysum, likely the species Helichrysum italicum, extends much farther in history, making an appearance in Homer’s The Odyssey as an ‘elixir of youth.’ In addition, the flowers were braided in decorative crowns worn to celebrate the Greek god Apollo, who was tasked with arching the sun across the sky in his gilded chariot. It has also been used by east and west African cultures, and is particularly wide-spread in its use in traditional southern African tribal medicine. The Xhosa tribe uses it to treat wounds topically, and the Zulu and Xhosa burn the leaves of the plant as incense for ceremonial rituals to act as a protective cleanser.

Traditional African medicine also hails the herb as a tonic for treating respiratory tract infections and digestive issues such as diarrhea. Helichrysum is also still used widely in traditional medicine in the Mediterranean areas of Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In addition to the widespread traditional use of helichrysum as a healing herb, the plant also enjoys popularity as a fixture in dried flower arrangements due to its notoriety at retaining its ‘everlasting’ yellow hue and intense fragrance. For centuries helichrysum has been included in potpourri, decorative wreaths, and braided crowns. Common African folklore insists that the flower heads of helichrysum last for seven years without losing any of their luster, which provides the Afrikaans name for many species of helichrysum: sewejaartjie (seven years).

While the historical writings, folklore, and anecdotes describe the use of helichrysum in detail for the treatment of a vast array of disorders, it is not always clear what species is being referred to in each instance. Some of the species of helichrysum are indeed very similar to each other in both appearance and chemical makeup.