We have grown Immortelle organically in Calvi since 2008. Here is what we have learned about this plant, season after season: what it is, how it grows, and what we make from it.
A small yellow flower from the maquis
Corsican Immortelle is called Helichrysum italicum subsp. italicum in Latin. It is also known as helichrysum or everlasting flower. It is a small, rounded shrub with fine silvery leaves that is covered with clusters of golden yellow flowers in summer. Rubbed between the fingers, it gives off a warm, spicy scent, often compared to curry or honey.
Its name comes from a feature that is easy to check: once picked and dried, the flower keeps its shape and colour for months. It does not wilt, hence "immortelle". We explain why in Why the Immortelle flower never wilts.
A plant made for Corsica
Immortelle likes poor, dry and stony soil, full sun and wind. In Corsica, it grows wild in the maquis, from the coast to the mountains. In our field, it is planted in long rows of shrubs, with the Calvi mountains as a backdrop.
One harvest a year
Everything happens in June, at flowering. We harvest by hand, with a sickle: we take a handful of flowering stems, hook them and pull. The cut flowers are laid on white tarps, then go to maceration or to the still.
It is slow work, but it means we only cut the stems that are ready and leave the shrub to grow back for the following year.
What the flower becomes
From the same harvest, we make two very different oils:
- The essential oil, obtained by steam distillation in our still. It takes a lot of flowers to make a small amount of this highly concentrated oil. Distillation also gives the floral water (hydrosol).
- Immortelle oil (the macerate), made by leaving the flowers in grapeseed oil for several months, in the sun, then cold-pressing them (sun maceration). We then enrich it with our essential oil.
We explain the difference in detail in Immortelle oil or essential oil: what is the difference?
Certified organic Immortelle
Our farm has been certified organic since 2008 and is inspected every year by Bureau Veritas (FR-BIO-10). The organic mention appears on each relevant label, with the list of ingredients from organic farming. It is all detailed in Our organic certification.
Our Immortelle products
- Immortelle oil, ready to use, in 15, 50 and 100 ml.
- Organic Immortelle essential oil, in 3, 5 and 15 ml.
- Immortelle floral water, as a mist.
Frequently asked questions
Are Immortelle and helichrysum the same plant?
Yes. Helichrysum is the botanical name of the plant commonly called Immortelle.
When does Corsican Immortelle flower?
At the start of summer. On our farm, the harvest takes place in June.
Is Immortelle related to curry?
Only through its scent. It is not the plant used to make the spice blend.
