everlasting cudweed

Also known as Jersey cudweed, this noble little plant (Helichrysum luteoalbum) (Wikipedia) has some of the most interesting flowers in the garden. Not at all showy, it nevertheless manages to attract its own collection of pollinators, including tiny solitary bees, black beetles, and even tinier flies.

The flowers are borne on a tall stem from a base with several stems. The leaves are slightly fuzzy, a water-saving adaptation often seen in plants that may grow in hot, sunny places. After the flowers finish blooming, the whole central part of the flower drops off (taking the seeds with it) leaving behind the “everlasting” part, that actually looks more like a flower than the flowers themselves.

In my garden the everlasting cudweed usually only shows up in the container gardens, where the soil may sometimes dry out. That’s what they like!