Sandy Everlasting: Benefits, Uses and Precautions

Dr. Boris Wydoff

Sandy everlasting, also known as sandy immortelle, is a perennial plant in the Asteraceae family. Its flower heads have traditionally been used in herbal medicine. The plant is associated primarily with bile flow, liver function and the biliary tract. Water infusions and decoctions are made from the flower heads.

What is this plant and how can you recognize it?

Sandy everlasting is also called sandy immortelle. Its Latin name is *Helichrysum arenarium*. The plant belongs to the Asteraceae, or Compositae, family. Its flower heads are used as medicinal plant material.

Sandy everlasting is widespread in the steppe regions of European Russia, the North Caucasus, Central Asia and southern Siberia. In the western part of its range, it extends into the forest-steppe and forest zones. There it can be found on sandy soil in dry pine forests.

At the end of May, golden flower heads of sandy everlasting appear in the dry steppes. Individual flowering plants can be seen until autumn. The entire plant is densely covered with hairs and has a whitish-grayish color.

This hairy covering helps sandy everlasting retain small amounts of water. Because of this, the plant can tolerate dry conditions in which other plants suffer from heat. Small flowers are gathered into numerous flower heads. The involucral bracts range in color from straw-yellow to orange. After being cut, the flower heads retain their original appearance for a long time.

That is why everlasting is used not only in herbal medicine. Dried flower heads are suitable for wreaths and winter bouquets. In the old days, they were placed between double window frames. Bunches of everlasting were also kept in chests and closets: its smell was believed to repel moths.

Sandy everlasting should not be confused with annual everlasting, or xeranthemum. These are different plants. Annual everlasting has a different Latin name — *Xeranthemum annum*.

How can you tell sandy everlasting from xeranthemum?

Annual everlasting also belongs to the Asteraceae family and grows in dry steppe habitats, so the resemblance can be misleading. However, it is an annual plant about 10–50 cm tall, with upright, ribbed, branched stems and narrow linear leaves.

The flower heads of xeranthemum are solitary, located at the tips of stems and branches, and reach about 2.5 cm in diameter. Its papery inner involucral bracts are noticeably longer than the outer ones, spread out radially and have a bright pink or pinkish-purple color. These create the impression of petals, although the plant has no ray flowers.

In sandy everlasting, by contrast, numerous flower heads form dense clusters, and the involucral bracts are yellowish to orange. The entire plant has a characteristic whitish-grayish color and is densely covered with hairs. So when collecting it, you cannot rely on the name “everlasting” alone: similar dried flowers differ in both appearance and botanical name.

Why does sandy everlasting grow in dry, sandy places?

Sandy everlasting belongs to plants of sandy habitats, or psammophytes.

Dense hairiness is one of the features of plants adapted to hot and dry climates. The hairs help reduce water loss. Steppe plants have other adaptations to drought as well: powerful root systems, a waxy coating on the leaves, deeply divided leaf blades or reduced leaves. In sandy everlasting, the most noticeable feature is the whitish-grayish color of its densely hairy above-ground parts.

In the dry steppe, the bright flower heads help attract insects. At the same time, livestock usually do not eat everlasting, so the plant can remain practically untouched in pastures.

How was everlasting used in everyday life?

The ability of the flower heads to retain their appearance for a long time has been known for centuries. Such plants were used for decorative purposes as far back as Ancient Rome: everlasting was used to make wreaths and bouquets.

In Russian tradition, dried flowers were associated with memories of summer. They were placed between double window frames, and the name “frost grass” was explained by the fact that in winter the plant retained the appearance of fresh golden flowers.

Sandy everlasting was also known in folk life as a remedy against moths: bunches were placed in chests and closets. The plant's decorative and household uses existed alongside its use in folk medicine.

What are the benefits of everlasting?

The main traditional use of sandy everlasting is related to bile flow. Galenic preparations of the plant increase bile formation and secretion, affect its composition and increase the tone of the gallbladder. An antispasmodic effect has also been described. It applies to the smooth muscles of the intestines, biliary tract, gallbladder and blood vessels. In addition, everlasting preparations stimulate gastric juice secretion and the secretory function of the pancreas. Increased urine output has also been reported.

In experiments, antibacterial activity was found in the flowers. These findings come from experimental observations.

How is the plant used for the liver and biliary tract?

In herbal references, water decoctions of the flower heads are described for liver diseases. Water infusions have also been used for diseases of the liver and gallbladder. In older recipes, everlasting appears as a remedy for jaundice. Both single-plant preparations and multi-herb mixtures have been described. Everlasting preparations increase bile flow and promote the movement of bile. They have also been reported to affect its viscosity, relative density and the levels of certain components.

Reference literature includes descriptions of flushing out sand and small stones in chronic calculous cholecystitis. If you have gallstones, you should not use choleretic infusions or decoctions on your own. Impaired bile flow requires evaluation by a doctor.

What properties are associated with the plant's composition?

Reference books associate the effects of everlasting primarily with flavonoid compounds. They are described as contributing to the antispasmodic effect of the plant's preparations, including effects on the smooth muscles of the intestines, biliary tract and gallbladder.

The effect on bile is also described in more detail: preparations may increase the levels of cholates and bilirubin, improve the ratio of cholates to cholesterol, reduce the concentration of some bile acids, and decrease bile viscosity and relative density. These pharmacological observations concern the effects of everlasting preparations and do not mean that a homemade infusion will produce the same predictable effect.

What is found in the flower heads?

The flower heads contain flavonoid glycosides, including salipurposide, kaempferol and isosalipurposide. The flavonoids also include naringenin and apigenin. In addition, the composition has been described as containing essential oil, phthalides, high-molecular-weight alcohols, steroid compounds, inositol, tannins, fatty acids, mineral salts and trace elements. The flower heads contain ascorbic acid and vitamin K. There are also several unidentified phenolic coloring substances. Some of the pharmacological properties of everlasting are associated with flavonoid compounds. In particular, they are considered in connection with the antispasmodic effect of the plant's preparations.

What else is known about the effects of everlasting preparations?

In addition to its effect on bile secretion, reference books note a stimulating effect on gastric juice secretion and the secretory function of the pancreas. Increased urine output has also been described. Experimental studies have found antibacterial activity in the flowers. However, these results cannot be directly applied to the treatment of infections in humans.

In medical reference books, everlasting is considered a choleretic plant that has been used for acute and chronic diseases of the liver, gallbladder and biliary tract. In folk medicine, the list of uses was much broader: the plant was used for colds and bronchitis, certain skin conditions, and problems with the stomach and pancreas. These traditional uses are not equivalent to proven medical indications.

How do you properly brew everlasting?

For home preparation, water infusions and decoctions of the flower heads have been described. One option is an infusion made from 10–15 g of plant material per 200 ml of water.

This infusion was taken 30 minutes before meals according to a schedule that changed over six days. On the first day — one third of a cup at a time. On the second day — one third of a cup 3 times.

On the third day — half a cup 3 times. On the fourth day — about three quarters of a cup 1 time. On the fifth day — half a cup 2 times. On the sixth day — half a cup 1 time.

If necessary, this description calls for repeating the course after 7 days.

If you have gallstones or impaired bile duct patency, this regimen should not be used on your own. Everlasting is a plant that affects bile flow, so a doctor should decide whether it is appropriate in such conditions.

There is another preparation method. A decoction was made from 10 g of flower heads per 200 ml of water. It was taken 1 tablespoon 3–4 times a day, 10–15 minutes before meals.

Another reference method calls for 6–10 g of flower heads per 200 ml of water. This decoction was taken 1 tablespoon 3–4 times a day, 10–15 minutes before meals.

Another version specifies 10 g of flower heads per 250 ml of water. These preparation methods differ in the amount of plant material, volume of water and dosing schedule. Therefore, one recipe should not simply be substituted for another.

Folk herbal books also contain multi-herb mixtures with everlasting. In these, the plant is combined with other herbs. If you have a chronic condition or take medications regularly, it is better to discuss the ingredients of such mixtures with a specialist.

What everlasting mixtures are described in reference books?

In older sources, sandy everlasting often appears not on its own but as part of multi-herb mixtures. For example, for liver diseases, a mixture of St. John's wort, knotweed, wild chicory, everlasting, buckthorn bark, chamomile and calendula was described. Another version included everlasting, horsetail, juniper and St. John's wort.

For a choleretic effect, a mixture of chicory root, everlasting flowers and dandelion root was described. The infusion of this mixture was taken on an empty stomach. In other recipes, everlasting was combined with erect cinquefoil, caraway fruits, bilberries and sage leaves.

There are also mixtures in which everlasting was combined with mint, dill, hawthorn or chamomile. Some were intended to affect both bile flow and the intestines. These recipes belong to reference and folk herbal medicine. They should not be considered interchangeable: a multi-herb formula changes the properties and contraindications of the finished infusion.

How are the flower heads collected and stored?

The medicinal plant material is the flower heads of sandy everlasting. For plants in the daisy family, flower heads are recommended to be collected when they are not yet fully open. The flower heads are collected during flowering. They are picked by hand or cut with scissors directly from the plant. After collection, the material is dried in a well-ventilated room. The flower heads are spread in a thin layer on clean paper or another clean surface.

For everlasting, it is important to avoid strong heating. Reference books specifically note that the flowers should not be dried in attics under an iron roof at high temperatures. This can cause the flower heads to open and crumble.

After drying, the flower heads retain their characteristic appearance for a long time. This is what made sandy everlasting well known as a dried flower.

What should you pay attention to when collecting it?

For medicinal purposes, choose the flower heads of sandy everlasting itself, not a similar xeranthemum. Pay particular attention to the color and structure of the flower heads: in sandy everlasting, the involucral bracts are straw-yellow or orange, while in annual everlasting the inner involucral bracts have pink or pinkish-purple shades.

The flower heads are recommended to be collected before they fully open. This follows the general rule for harvesting flower heads of daisy-family plants. After cutting, the material is spread in a thin layer so that it can ventilate well.

Strong heat during drying is undesirable. At high temperatures, the flower heads may continue to open, after which individual parts of the flower heads crumble. Therefore, an open sunny place or a very hot attic is not suitable for this type of drying.

How to find sandy everlasting abroad

Sandy everlasting may be called different things in other countries. To avoid confusing it with another type of everlasting, check the Latin name on the package.

• USA: sandy everlasting, dwarf everlasting, immortelle, helichrysum.
• Germany: Sand-Strohblume, Sandstrohblume, gelbe Katzenpfötchen; the flowers may also be called Ruhrkrautblüten or Katzenpfötchenblüten.
• France: immortelle des sables or hélichryse des sables.
• Latin: *Helichrysum arenarium*.

The part of the plant used is the dried flower heads or flower clusters (*Helichrysi flos*). The roots and fruits are not used for this plant. In the USA, loose dried-flower tea and tinctures or liquid extracts are available. In Germany, whole or cut flowers for tea and drops containing flower extract are sold, including alcohol-free glycerin extracts. In France, loose dried flowers for tisane are more common, sometimes labeled sommités fleuries.

You can look:

• in specialty herb and tea shops;
• in specialty online stores;
• in Germany — also in pharmacies and online pharmacies;
• in France — in herboristeries.

Check the package for *Helichrysum arenarium* and an indication that the flowers are used: flowers/flower heads, Blüten or fleurs. For an extract, the package should state that the flowers are the starting material. Also check the product category: medicinal tea, Kräutertee/tisane or supplement. If you want an organic product, look for an actual certification rather than just the words “wild-harvested.”

Sales rules differ by country: in the USA, dietary supplements do not undergo prior FDA approval for safety or effectiveness, while in Germany, a product sold in a pharmacy is not necessarily a medicine.

Sandy everlasting contraindications and precautions

If you are allergic to everlasting or other plants in the Asteraceae family, you should not take it. Current information calls for caution when bile flow is impaired. Oral use is not recommended for blocked bile ducts, cholangitis, gallstones and some liver diseases. The reason is related to the plant's effect on bile flow. If you have gallstones, a doctor should decide whether everlasting is appropriate.

An old reference book describes everlasting preparations as having low toxicity. At the same time, it notes that the plant has cumulative properties and that use for more than three months may lead to congestive changes in the liver.

The same source does not recommend the preparations for hypertension or high gastric acidity. Reliable information on drug interactions is limited. If you take medications regularly, discuss combining them with everlasting infusion or decoction with your doctor or pharmacist in advance. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, use is not recommended because there is not enough safety information. There is also insufficient information about the plant's effect on fertility.

Use in children under 18 is not recommended because there are not enough safety data. Essential oil requires separate caution. The safety of taking the oil by mouth has not been established, so it should not be used this way. If an adverse reaction occurs, stop taking it and contact a medical professional. There is not enough information about overdose.

Topical use of the oil

Some sources separately describe cosmetic use of sandy everlasting oil. It has been used for dry skin, flaking and minor inflammation, as well as for caring for small scratches and abrasions.

For this purpose, the oil was used externally: it was added to baths, used in aroma lamps and pendants, applied as a compress and used during massage. This is different from taking water-based everlasting preparations by mouth.

Information about topical use of the oil does not mean that it can be taken internally. The safety of this method has not been established, so essential oil should not be taken orally on your own.

When do you need a doctor?

If you develop abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes, a high fever, repeated vomiting or other pronounced symptoms, you need to see a doctor. If you have liver or biliary tract disease, self-treatment with choleretic remedies is undesirable. If you have gallstones, a specialist should decide whether a herbal preparation is appropriate. Pregnancy and breastfeeding require consultation with a doctor. Everlasting is not recommended for children under 18.

If you take medications regularly, discuss combining them with an everlasting infusion or decoction with your doctor or pharmacist before use. If you are prone to allergies, watch for a reaction after taking it. If signs of an allergic reaction appear, stop using the plant and seek medical help.

Boris Wydoff — naturopath and author, Ph.D. in nutrition. For over fifty years I have helped people restore health through nutrition, cleansing and the power of the mind — in Europe, America and Asia. About the author →

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