Helichrysum petiolare, known as Imphepho , Licorice-plant, Silver-bush Everlasting Flower, Trailing Dusty-miller, and Kooigoed, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to South Africa. Its traditional common name of Kooigoed translates as bedding stuff and it is still used to provide a soft and aromatic mattress. It is cultivated in gardens as a foliage plant.
The essential oil has been investigated for its anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. In South Africa, it forms a component of traditional African medicine. The leaves and twigs are boiled and prepared as a sort of tea to soothe coughs and fever. The leaves are also applied to wounds to prevent infection and are ceremonially burnt to produce a traditional incense. The burning is used to send the bad spirits away.
