Rose of Jericho – Care Nuggets for the Resurrection Plant

The Rose of Jericho of the Brassicaceae family, also known as the resurrection plant, is a plant that can appear dried when there is no water but will regain its vigor when conditions are conducive.

Do you want a plant that can inspire you through the ups and downs of life? There is no better plant from the Anastatica genus that you can keep for this purpose other than the Rose of Jericho.

To help you enjoy the inspiration and uniqueness of this plant, this article will provide you with all that you should know to care for the Rose of Jericho in the best way.

Rose of Jericho Care

Apart from regular watering, the Rose of Jericho does not require a lot of input in terms of upkeep. This makes it very easy to keep compared to other indoor plants. Get more insight on how to take care of this plant in this section.

Light Requirements

When exposed to good, indirect light, the Rose of Jericho will flourish. In low light, the plant will curl up. This explains why you should put it in a dark cupboard when you store it. Low light is supportive of dormancy. If your plant remains curled up even after being watered, this might be a sign that lighting is inadequate.

Water Requirements

When growing the Rose of Jericho indoors, make sure to change the water of your plant every day. You can use a spray bottle to regularly mist the Rose of Jericho to keep it looking fresh and beautiful. Once or twice a week, give it some non-water rest days to avoid the formation of moss. At least once a month, let the plant completely dry out for a week before you can revive it again.

If you grow the Rose of Jericho in a pot, you can wet the soil until some of the water drools from under the pot. During winter and autumn, you can reduce the amount of water so that the soil dries out between waterings.

We recommend that you use distilled water for the Rose of Jericho because the plant is very sensitive. However, if you have to use tap water, allow it to sit overnight to evaporate the chlorine or fluorine it contains.

You can grow the Jericho plant like an epiphyte. Epiphytes are plants that can grow on another plant. If you choose to use this method, simply attach the Rose of Jericho to another plant and be sure to mist your plant regularly. The same rules still apply when it comes to watering.

Soil Requirements

The resurrection plant can do very well without soil because it does not need to fix its roots in a medium. That is why they can be grown in water or as an epiphyte.

However, if you grow the true Rose of Jericho in soil, it will flourish into a healthy, bigger plant.

The false version of the resurrection plant can also be planted in soil but this can only be done after it has developed its roots in water. Be sure to keep the soil moist if you decide to grow your plant using this growth medium.

Temperature Requirements

The Rose of Jericho thrives well at room temperature. Ideally, a temperature range between 41 °F and 95 °F will give your plant a vigorous outlook. This plant can also tolerate extreme cold., thus confirming its rare strength.

Avoid temperature fluctuations around your plant. Although your plant is highly resistant to harsh conditions, it does not tolerate abrupt temperature changes. To avoid extreme fluctuations in temperature, do not put your plant in spots where it can receive drafts through the windows and doors. Also, do not switch on heaters, air conditioners, and fans in the same room as your plant.

Humidity Requirements

The Rose of Jericho thrives in appropriately-sheltered moist areas that are above 50 percent humid. These conditions are difficult to achieve indoors due to forced-air heating, especially in naturally hot regions. However, you could mist your plants every day or place the potted plants on moist pebbles to elevate the humidity.

Most of the time, you don’t even need to bother yourself with humidity issues when you are growing your Rose of Jericho in water. This is because the water in the bowl is enough to keep the environment around your plant as humid as it should be.

Fertilizer Requirements

The Jericho plant does not need any additional feeding. Just remember to use lukewarm water and to change it frequently.

Grooming

Constantly pruning the Rose of Jericho is not necessary. However, you might need to remove some damaged or dead leaves from the plant here and there. To identify the leaves that are dead, you should awaken the plant first, because you can’t tell when the plant is “dead.”

Reviving a Resurrection Plant

To revive this plant, you will need a shallow and wide dish, distilled water at room temperature, pebbles, and a spot with indirect sunlight. Fill the dish with pebbles before adding enough water that the pebbles are partially submerged.

Place your Rose of Jericho into the dish, ensuring that the roots are in contact with the water. Afterward, put the dish on a countertop or on a table, where the plant will receive indirect sunlight. It should take your Rose of Jericho about four hours to ‘resurrect.’

Problems

The Rose of Jericho is a typical example of a hard-to-kill plant, but there are still a few issues to anticipate. Let’s look at some of these problems in greater detail.

• Toxicity: The Rose of Jericho may be toxic to pets, especially cats. It is wise to keep it where your pets cannot reach it, as they might get a bit too curious!
• Rotting: If your plant rots, there is only one reason for that: elongated periods in water. This plant can only stay in the water for a few consecutive days, after which it might rot. The best way to prevent your Rose of Jericho from rotting is by changing the water in which you dip your plant daily. Don’t forget to give your plant some rest periods from watering.
• Browning: If you put your plant in water and it doesn’t open and turn green even after many hours, it is most likely dead. Considering that, if you buy the plant in its brown form, there is a chance it might be already dead. If you think you have bought a dead plant, approach the seller and hear their return and replacement policies.

Too Slow to Open: In some cases, the Jericho plant takes a long time to open but eventually does. The problem arises when you use cold water. To rectify this, use lukewarm water. You can also move your plant to a warmer place. Also, check if there is adequate lighting as the Rose of Jericho does not open up in low light conditions.

Slugs and Snails: Although this doesn’t happen often, slugs and snails can treat themselves to the Rose of Jericho. You can hand-remove the pests. Alternatively, install copper tape around the plant to create a good barrier to deter the slugs and snails. This is better than using potentially dangerous chemicals.