Leaf
Liliane Roubaudi, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Curry plant
Helichrysum italicum
Also known as: Italian strawflower
Family: Asteraceae
0.2 to 0.5 m tall
Rockeries, borders, dry gardens, poor free-draining soils
Flowering: June – August
Full sun
Hardy to -12°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its crushed foliage gives off a very recognisable curry smell, hence its nickname 'curry plant'.
🍃 Leaves
Evergreen, very narrow, silvery grey, giving off a strong curry smell
🌸 Flowers
Small golden-yellow pompoms in corymbs, keeping their colour even when dried
🍎 Fruits
Small, barely visible dry achenes
🪵 Bark
Low woody stems, rounded clumping habit
🗺️ Distribution
Western Mediterranean; found in dry garrigue in southern France, also cultivated for its essential oil (Corsica).
🐝 Value for pollinators
Yellow flowers in summer corymbs, rich in nectar, visited by bees and butterflies.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Planted in borders or dry rockeries for its aromatic silvery foliage (curry smell).
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No known toxicity.
🌿 Other Asteraceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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