Helichrysum

My favourite scent of the season is of the frugal Helichrysum that lives in sunny climes from the coast to high peaks without asking for much.

This medicinal plant is a part of the greater sunflower family as testified by its name which derives from the Greek word ‘helios’ (sun) and ‘chrysos’ (gold) and sports silvery grey leaves that are silky to the touch covering a woody plant base that loves to house lizards and grass snakes as they lay languid in the warmth of the day.

It is richly aromatic, reminiscent of sage, bitter tea leaves, heather, savoury spice and it has a familiarity to it, a scent that transports you to a time and place, connecting you to past memories. You can find it as an essential oil, believed to possess powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial properties and it also holds well as a dried flower if cut young. The dried flowers can also be used as a seasoning for food – the Florentines have used it for centuries to fight stomach cramps, coughs and colds and if you wanted to give it a go, it’s highly recommended on roast potatoes. Just wait until they are about 15 minutes from cooked remove from the oven and sprinkle over the helichrysum flowers tossing generously with some extra virgin olive oil before returning to the oven to finish.