Spatial variations in phenolic content ofimmortelle flowers from Adriatic coast

The genus Helichrysum Mill., specifically Helichrysum italicum (Roth.) G. Don, commonly known as immortelle, is renowned for its aromatic and ornamental qualities. The plant, which thrives in the dry, sandy and stony areas of the Mediterranean, holds significant economic value, primarily for the extraction of essential oil and its by-product hydrosol. This study explored the phenolic content variations in dried immortelle flowers from eleven wild populations along the Adriatic coast of Croatia in order to evaluate the potential for obtaining the highest concentration of phenolic compounds in hydrosol by examining the total phenolic content of dried inflorescence before distillation. The results revealed substantial differences in phenolic content among researched locations. Immortelle from wild populations on the Pelješac peninsula and the island of Brač exhibited the highest levels of total phenolic compounds in dried flowers. The sample from the island of Hvar had the lowest content of phenolic compounds, making it the least suitable for obtaining highly concentrated hydrosol. Further investigation is needed to identify the impact of location, genotype and orthogenesis on the phenolic content of immortelle from wild populations.