Our guesthouse is named after a rare Amorgian wildflower, Helichrysum
amorginum. Better known as "amaranth", "semperviva"
or "stathouri" (in Greek), "everlasting" (in English),
"immortelle" (in French), "perpetuini" or "tignamica"
(in Italian), "Siebenjahrblume" and "Immerschön"
(in German), Helichrysum takes its botanical name from the
ancient Greek "eleiochrysos" (sun gold). Often used by wreath-weavers,
Helichrysum was said to bring glory, or remedy bites and burns
when mixed with wine (Theophrastos) or honey. Several species of the plant are
nowadays popular decorative plants all over the world, traditionally
for funeral wreaths.
Of the 28 native European kinds of Helichrysum (of the worldwide
300), Greece features nine. These perennials are
easily recognised by their narrow, woolly leaves, paper-dry scales and
shining golden yellow, snow-white or rose-red heads.
They are typically dry plants, endemic of
steep ravines or seaside areas and rocky islands, and can be preserved for years.