Selaginella lepidophylla

At first glance, this Jericho Rose, which is named Selaginella lepidophylla, forms a ball of dry, brownish leaves that seems lifeless. It unfurls when it comes into contact with water, gradually regaining life and colour, offering a beautiful tiered rosette with finely imbricated and dissected leaves, evoking both fern fronds and chervil. This 'rose' is actually a plant without flowers or seeds, related to ferns, seemingly living off the air. It is a curiosity of nature, to be contemplated up close, but also a perfect example of adaptation to desert environments. Capricious and sometimes perplexing, it is cultivated in acidic, very light soil that does not retain water and protected from frost. It will bring joy to both adults and children.

Sometimes called the Resurrection Plant or Rock Flower, this 'archaic' perennial plant belongs to the family Selaginellaceae, a genus belonging to the division of pteridophytes, also known as ferns. These are fossil plants, constituting the first terrestrial plant civilization, appearing 400 million years ago. Selaginella lepidophylla is native to the Chihuahuan Desert, which is located on the border between southern United States and northern Mexico.

During its vegetative period, in humid environments, it presents itself as an open, spreading rosette, consisting of evergreen light green leaves in the center, darker on the periphery, remarkably dissected and branched into denticulate leaves, resembling imbricate scales. When drought occurs, the plant goes into a dormant state, losing up to 97% of its mass, withdrawing all sap from its foliage. It gradually curls up to form a dry, brownish ball. This plant reproduces through spores, like ferns. The spores are quickly emitted during the vegetative period and germinate just as quickly in a humid environment to form new plants. It is worth noting that a dead plant, if it does not turn green again when in contact with water, will retain its mechanical properties that allow it to flourish and close up into a ball.

Welcome the Jericho Rose into your home, in a pot or on a saucer filled with water to admire the spectacle of its resurrection. It is a constantly renewed pleasure. According to certain beliefs, a neighboring plant named Anastatica hierochuntica or original Jericho rose brings good luck to those who protect it, from generation to generation.