Do you know some plants can survive without water for years? Surprisingly, they remain alive and get fresh green again on being watered! Yes, we are talking about the Rose of Jericho plant. This is a small moss-like plant with greyish foliage that remains under a foot in height. In absence of water, the branches of the plant contract and curl up making the plant look like a dead root ball. Then, it keeps blowing around in the desert like a tumbleweed in search of water. On getting the adequate quantity, it literally ‘gets back to life’, unfurling its green leaves. Do you want to buy one for yourself and thinking about its requirements? Let us learn more about the resurrection plant along with various aspects of the Rose of Jericho Care.
Rose of Jericho Classification
Family: Brassicaceae(Mustard Family)
Genus: Anastatica.
Species: A. hierochuntica.
This genus uniquely comprises just a single species, the Anastatica hierochuntica.
Rose of Jericho Common Names
- The flower of St. Mary.
- The Maryam’s Flower.
- Mary’s flower.
- The Dinosaur plant.
- The resurrection plant.
- White Mustard Flower.
- The true Rose of Jericho.
Rose of Jericho Plant Features
- The plant body usually consists of thin small branches gathered irregularly.
- The leaves are long and look like frills or strands coming out of a single stem. They closely resemble the fronds( leaves of ferns).
- Flowers are small, white, and inconspicuous.
- These plants have weak and tiny roots.
The False Rose Of Jericho
Well, one more surprise! The name is also associated with another species of the same nature but emerald green foliage. Yes, it is the Selaginella lepidophylla plant, commonly known as the false Rose of Jericho plant. This False Rose of Jericho Fern belongs to the family Selaginellaceae and genus Selaginella. Both of these two plants belong to entirely different families. Yet, they show close resemblance in appearance and nature.
However, there are some basic differences between the two plants. Some of them are as under;
- The False one is prettier, easy to find, and cheaper in price.
- It is easy to grow and can even grow with distorted roots. On the other hand, the true Rose of Jericho needs the roots to absorb water and get back to life again.
Rose of Jericho Care
These plants are extremely easy to care for and ‘hard to kill.’ You can even put a dried plant in a paper bag and place it in a dark cupboard without getting squashed. This survivor will keep on sleeping there for years without any complaints. It is important to mention here that both the true and false Jericho plants have pretty similar requirements. Moreover, the False Rose of Jericho Care is the same as the True Rose of Jericho plant Care.
Water Requirement
The basic trick is to plant the dried baby in the water and give weekly ‘water-free resting breaks’. You just need to take a bowl of water without the drainage holes. Now, submerge some pebbles or gravel in it. Simply, perch the plant on the top of the bowl, allowing the roots to touch the water. The plant will unfurl in about 4 hours and you will see the fresh green plant again. Change the water daily or on alternate days.
Don’t forget to take it out of the water for a whole day. This water break can be after 4 to 7 days. This break is essential to save the plant from mould and rotting.
Another important part of the Rose of Jericho Care is letting it completely dry out about once a month. This will enhance the plant’s health.
Another alternate is to grow it like an epiphyte and attach it with some other plant. In this form, just mist the plant regularly and don’t forget to give some breaks.
Note:
Distilled water is ideal for the plant. You can also use tap water after letting it sit overnight. This will make the chlorine and other toxins evaporate or sit at the base.
Sunlight Requirements
Good indirect light is an important part of the Resurrection plant Rose of Jericho Care. The curling of a well-watered plant is a possible sign of inadequate light. However, the dormant Dragon Plant can even survive in any type of light including a total dark box.
Soil Requirements
As explained above, these plants do not need soil to fix their roots. They can survive pretty well in water or even like an epiphyte. Howbeit, a True Rose of Jericho rooted in the soil will grow into a healthy blooming plant. The false ones can also be planted in soil, after developing the roots in water.
In case you are a soil plantation, just make sure you keep the soil fairly moist. It is important to mention here, that these plants usually get quite larger in soil.
Humidity Requirements
Well, the Rose of Jericho Care doesn’t include any particular humidity levels. You don’t need to do anything extra to maintain the moisture for its green form. The water bowl or the frequent misting for the watering of the plant will be enough to keep the Resurrection plant going.
Temperature Requirements
These plants do well at room temperature of your zone. An ideal temperature range from 5 to 35 °C. They can even survive frost.
An important part of the Care of Rose of Jericho includes keeping it safe from the sudden temperature changes. Although they belong to the hot and dry deserts, still they have a low tolerance for abrupt temperature changes. Additionally, keep them away from drifts. Thus, the places closer to air conditioners, heaters and fans are inappropriate for these unique babies.
Fertilizer Requirements
These rough and tough plants don’t need any added nutrition in particular.
Pruning Requirement
These plants can do pretty well without pruning. Nevertheless, you can remove a few dead and unhealthy leaves to enhance the appearance of the plant. The dead plant will be unable to show you the actual unhealthy or dead leaves. Thus, it is always better to prune when the plant is ‘awake’
Pot Requirements
Terrariums and indoor table pots are the best places for these plants. Howbeit, they do pretty well outdoors in certain growth zones.
Growth Zone
The ideal zones are USDA hardiness zones 8a to 11.
Possible Problems in Rose of Jericho Care
We get some common questions about the plants. It is important to share here to get the best idea about the Resurrection plant Rose of Jerico care.
Rose of Jericho Remains Brown
Sometimes, people plant the water and it opens up partially without getting green. If the plant remains brown and doesn’t develop green foliage, it is possibly dead.
The plant is usually obtained in dried form, so there are possibilities to get a dead plant. Yes, these plants may also die. The major cause of death is inappropriate picking or storing. This may destroy the roots or squish the plant body. The plant may open up partially, because of the water absorption and expansion by the cells. However, it will not give a healthy look and the foliage will not get healthy. In this case, you need to talk to the seller and check the returning policies.
Rose of Jericho taking longer to open up
The dried plant usually opens up in about 4 hours. If it is taking longer than that, there are few possible reasons;
- The plant is dead.
- The plant and the water are too cold. If the water is cold, just try lukewarm water and place the plant in some warmer place.
- The light is inadequate. They can survive in the dark in their dormant form. But to look healthy, light is essential. Consider placing the plant at some well-lit place with indirect light.
Rose of Jericho getting Moss
Is the Resurrection plant getting mushy, smelly, and brown or black? This is possible rot of plant moss. It means that you have made it stand in water too long. Just take it out and give it a break to get it dry.
Just feel free to cut the slimy and discoloured parts of the plant. This will help the plant to recover sooner.
To prevent this situation, we always prefer daily water changing and frequent drying breaks as an essential part of the Care of Rose of Jericho.
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Summary
Roses of Jericho are amazingly unique plants. They curl up and survive years of complete dryness. On getting watered, they wake up again, getting back all the fresh green foliage. The name refers to two different plants with the same resurrection ability and same requirements. The True Rose of Jericho has greyish, while the false one has green foliage.
These are very easy to care for and can withstand severe water shortages. The Rose of Jericho Care comprises indirect light and perching the plant in a water bowl or frequent misting. Importantly, you need to give weekly water-less breaks followed by complete drying every couple of weeks.
