The alternate leaves of Helichrysum rosum are grey-green, densely covered in whitish woolly hairs. The leaves are sessile, ascending up the stems and curving down towards their rounded tips.

The leaf-shape is oblong. Leaf margins are entire, or appear so through their woolly covering, usually curving down. Leaves become 20 mm long, 3 mm wide (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; iSpot).