Plant and cultivate *Anastatica hierochuntica*
to witness its resurrection!
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Rose of Jericho, Selaginella lepidophylla, is a surprising little plant that has developed a strategy to withstand drought. When it is dry, it enters dormancy: it closes up, takes the shape of a ball, and appears dead. However, as soon as it is rehydrated, it fully unfolds and regains its colours, like a flower blooming! It gives the impression of being dead, then reborn as soon as it comes into contact with water, which earns it the name “Resurrection Plant” or Rock Flower.
It grows spontaneously in the Chihuahuan Desert, on the border between Mexico and the United States. This explains its adaptation to drought.
Rose of Jericho is very closely related to ferns! It does not produce flowers or seeds, but spores. It takes the form of a flattened rosette, with branching that radiates outwards from the centre. It does not have true leaves, but small scales.
Where to plant the Rose of Jericho?
The Jericho Rose is a frost-sensitive plant that needs protection from the cold! You can grow it in a greenhouse, conservatory, or in a frost-free, bright room, away from direct sunlight.
As soon as it is rehydrated, the Jericho Rose opens up and regains its colours! (photo Fabrizio Cortesi)
How to grow a Rose of Jericho?
You can rehydrate your rose of Jericho as follows:
- Simply place your dried plant on a shallow dish filled with soft water (or low in calcium). Within a few minutes, it will come back to life and start to bloom. Leave it in the dish for a few days.
- You can then keep it blooming by placing it in a terrarium to maintain a high humidity level, or give it a resting period, which can last from one to several months, without water. Do not expose it to direct sunlight.
To keep it longer, pot it:
- Prepare a suitable substrate that is very draining, acidic, and light by mixing heather soil, sand, and pumice. Choose a shallow pot, fill it with substrate, and place the plant inside.
- Position it in a bright location, without direct sunlight, preferably at a temperature between 20 and 25 °C. It is sensitive to temperatures below 5 °C.
Absolutely avoid excess water, which could cause it to rot. Allow it a dormancy period of a few months, during which you let it dry out.
The rose of Jericho or Selaginella lepidophylla: before and after rehydration
Did you know?
Did you know that another plant is called the “Rose of Jericho”? It is Anastatica hierochuntica, a small plant from the Brassicaceae family, native to North Africa, which also has the ability to dry out and fold up in times of drought, only to unfurl when it is moistened.
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