Rose of Jericho: care

Also called resurrection plant or doradilla, and under the scientific name Hierochuntic Anastaticathis plant has one of the more extreme drought adaptations that can be found. Thanks precisely to its enormous resistance, it is an ideal crop for inexperienced gardeners, who should not be impressed by its exoticism.

This fern of the Brassicaceae family has its origin in the deserts of Palestine, Arabia and Egypt, where it has traditionally been a plant considered to have magical and sacred properties and was used in all kinds of purification or divination rituals. It is a small species that rarely grows beyond 15 cm in height.

Its greatest distinction is its particular strategy against drought: when the plant is subjected to a dry climate, it retracts both its small roots and its aerial part, becoming a ball that looks dry and dead. In this state, and due to its shape and low weight, the wind can transport it by rolling it until it takes it to a more humid area, where the plant will revive, putting down its roots again and recovering its color and vitality. The flower of Jericho is capable of performing these status changes even after years in the dry phase, which is why it is so easy to care for.

One of the most important points when it comes to knowing how to care for the Rose of Jericho is its location. This hardy plant is adapted to some of the world’s hottest and driest deserts, making it able to withstand the direct sun of the hottest climates. You need to have light for at least 8 hours a day and, although it supports direct incidence without problems, it will also be able to grow and develop with indirect light as long as it is abundant.

Another care of the rose of Jericho refers to the temperature. As expected, in a desert plant of this type, does not tolerate frost. In fact, the rose of Jericho needs to be in temperatures above 16ºC, so frosts or drastic drops in temperature, even if they are punctual, can do a lot of damage or even kill it.

A curiosity about the rose of Jericho is that it is possible to grow this fern in a special way: completely submerged in water. Let’s see how to do it in the following section on the care of the Jericho flower and its irrigation.

Learn about 16 sun-resistant garden plants or 10 types of ferns in these other EcologíaVerde articles that we recommend.

A rose of Jericho in a pot will require different watering depending on the weather or the season in which we find ourselves. Thus:

• In the warmer months: you will normally need between 2 to 3 weekly irrigations if we want to prevent it from entering its dry phase, so that it looks green and with all its beauty.
• In the wetter seasons or climates: the risks can be more spaced. It is also common to place a saucer under the pot and fill it with water, so that the plant absorbs moisture through the drainage holes.
• In unusually hot or dry climates: the plant will appreciate spraying water on its leaves once or twice a day, in addition to watering.

However, as we have mentioned, there are those who grow this plant in a special way, buying it completely dry to place it in a fish tank or pond and see how quickly it revives. When it comes to how to care for the Rose of Jericho in water, just change the water from the place where it is usually found, being able to survive in this underwater way. Basically, it is impossible to water it too much.

Discover with images more than 50 aquatic plants: names and characteristics, in this other article that we suggest.

As the last care of the Jericho rose, we can talk about the fertilizer. Although strictly the plant you do not need a frequent subscriberFeeding it nutrients will help ensure it stays strong and blooms when the time comes. It is best to use organic fertilizer such as earthworm humus or compost, which will suffice to add to the substrate at the beginning of spring, with the arrival of high temperatures. With a annual contribution will be enoughnot needing more regular applications.

We explain how to make earthworm humus in this article.

The plant is not at all demanding in terms of its type of soil, being able to grow and develop in practically all types of substrates and common ground. Even acidic soils or soils with a low pH will not be too much of a problem for her.

If what you want is to provide it with ideal conditions, you can opt for a loose, aerated and light substrate, enriched with organic matter such as earthworm humus. The universal mixture of peat, coconut fiber and humus in equal parts will work perfectly, enriched as always with vermiculite and perlite.

Discover more about coconut fiber for plants: properties and how to make it in this other post that we recommend from EcologíaVerde.

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