This strongly aromatic bushy perrenial herb grows mainly along the coastal regions of South Africa. It has small hairy silvery green leaves with yellow cluster flowers, hence its name derived from the Greek Helios (sun) and Chrysos (gold). It is an important plant in the local folklore where the smoke is used in ritual to invoke trance and to connect with the ancestors.
IMPHEPHO Essential Oil
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Latin Name: Helichrysum Odoratissimum
Family: Asteraceae
Common Indigenous Names: Imphepho (Xhosa, Zulu), Phefo, Towane (Sotho), Kooigoed (Khoisan, Afrikaans).
Uses: It is traditionally used for its sedative properties for insomnia, to relieve headaches and tension as well as for coughs, colds, fever and headaches. It is an effective fumigant that repels insects such as lice and mosquitos and other parasites.
Quirky Indigenous Uses:
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Rituals to invoke ancestors
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Burnt inside houses to protect it from evil spirits
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Clear spaces of negative energy
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Fumigate sick rooms
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Used as bedding to repel bed bugs
Extraction: Steam-distilled
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