Rose Of Jericho, The Resurrection Plant

The Rose of Jericho: Resurrection Plant: Selaginella Lepidophylla

The Rose of Jericho is a species of desert moss that can ‘resurrect’ itself after bouts of extreme dehydration in which it goes into dormancy lasting for months or even years.

After just a few hours of exposure to water the plant starts to unfurl its tightly curled, brown leaves and turn green into a flower-like shape. 

It is said this plant pre-dates the dinosaurs and its species has survived for around 290 million years. 

Native to dry deserts of Mexico and Southern Texas, it rolls around tightly coiled like a tumbleweed until it lands in an indentation in the sand or rock. It waits for rain and when the rain comes and fills that indentation, it unfolds and unfurls..."resurrecting" back to life - all to be repeated again. 

In your home, you'll want to let the Rose of Jericho go back to its dormancy stage from time-to-time, only keeping it "open" for a couple days at a time and then letting it come back to dormancy for at least a few weeks to a month.