The Rose of Jericho is a total fascinator, but did you know there are actually two different versions? We’ve got the “True” Rose of Jericho and the “False” Rose of Jericho. If you’re looking for a long-term plant buddy, the False variety is usually the way to go since it’s a perennial. Both have that incredible “resurrection” trick where they spring back to life after drying out, but they do it in very different ways. Let’s take a look!
Two Plants, One Famous Name
The True Rose of Jericho is a desert native from the Middle East and North Africa. It’s actually an annual plant that reproduces through seeds. To protect its seeds from the scorching sun, the plant’s wilting leaves curl up into a tight, ball-like shell. When it finally rains, the plant soaks up the water and unfurls. This allows the seeds to drop onto the damp ground, where they can sprout in just a few days.
The False Rose of Jericho is actually a spike moss from Central America. This plant dries out during long droughts to survive, but as soon as it gets a good soak, it wakes back up and turns green again. It looks a lot like the True Rose of Jericho’s resurrection, but there’s one big difference: this fern is actually still alive!
How to Witness the “Resurrection” at Home
Watching these plants come back to life is super easy and honestly pretty cool to see. Here’s how you do it:
- Fill a plate or shallow bowl with cold water.
- Place the dried-out Rose of Jericho inside.
- Sit back and let the plant do its thing.
You’ll see them start to unfold within just a few hours. Fun fact: the True Rose of Jericho can actually “resurrect” in minutes if you use warm water! Just keep in mind that it will stay brown because, well, it’s technically dead. The False Rose is the real showstopper here because it actually regains its lush green color. While you can dry out and “revive” the True Rose as many times as you want, you shouldn’t put the living False Rose through that stress too often.
Pro Tip:
Don’t leave your plant in water for more than 3 or 4 days, or it might start to rot. You can let the True Rose dry out for about two weeks before storing it or “reviving” it again. The False Rose, however, much prefers being tucked into some soil once it’s hydrated.
Caring for Your Rose of Jericho
The dried-out True Rose of Jericho is the ultimate low-maintenance guest—it doesn’t need any care at all! Just keep it somewhere dry. While you can try to grow new plants from the seeds it releases, it’s actually pretty tricky to get them to thrive in our climate.
The False Rose of Jericho is much happier if you plant it in some low-nutrient cactus soil. Give it a warm, sunny spot, skip the fertilizer, and only give it a little water every now and then.
