This tender South African shrub, sometimes called liquorice plant, is a popular filler for hanging baskets and window boxes in summer. The long, slightly stiff stems quickly branch in all directions and eventually trail to form a cascade of silvery grey foliage. It is also a valuable ground cover plant for growing between sturdy summer bedding flowers and at the edge of beds and borders, where it can spread freely and infiltrate its neighbours without being invasive. Cuttings root and overwinter easily, or the plants can be potted up in autumn. If allowed to flower late in the growing season, it produces cream-colored flower heads.
The name Helichrysum is derived from the Greek (h)elios for sun and chrysos for gold, although not all species have golden flowers; petiolare refers to long leaf stalks.
You can see in the above picture the cream-colored flower head on this licorice plant of ours. We keep ours out back by the pool and it loves the hot sun. It doesn't require much care and fends for itself just fine, as you can see from the picture.
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