Bosnian Immortelle
The story:
It owes its French name, immortelle, to the exceptional longevity of its inflorescences, which never seem to fade, even once picked. As we know, drying them upside down can preserve them for several years. On closer inspection, we owe this quality to the bracts, small leaves at the base of the flower heads.
In perfumery:
The first scent that emerges from immortelle is that of curry. Next, we notice that this pretty plant gives off other scents similar to rose and chamomile. Honeyed, sweet, salty and spicy fragrances. Immortelle gives a real personality to floral, chypre or amber compositions. Unfortunately, immortelle is rarely used in fine fragrances, perhaps precisely because of its strong personality.
Aromatherapy by olfaction :
Calming, de-stressing, psychostimulant; cutaneous: anti-traumatic, anti-inflammatory, healing. It's the "arnica of aromatherapy". Perfumer and Flavourist, September 2018, Helichrysum italicum D.C oil from Balkans
The immortelle harvest:
Stems are cut with secateurs, leaving 10 to 15 cm of stem at the base. The first harvest takes place during flowering in the 3rd year of cultivation. Once flowering is over, the yield is lower.
Post-harvest: To dry, fresh flowers are left in a heap, away from the light, so they don't lose their color.
Production from Bosnia-Herzegovina :
According to the French Embassy in Bosnia-Herzegovina, immortelle is estimated to occupy between 1,000 and 1,500 ha and has seen a significant boom since 2015. (FranceAgrimer-2017)
Nice to know:
The term "Helichrysum" comes from the Greek helios, sun, and chrysos, gold. The French name "Immortelle" is said to derive from the exceptionally long shelf-life of the dried bouquets. Anecdotally, Immortelle was also used in 1952 at the coronation of Elizabeth II of England, in the form of small bouquets to symbolize the durability of her reign.