Rose of Jericho, or Anastatica of Jericho, got its name from ancient Greek words that translate as "resurrected" or "revive again". For the first time this plant was discovered in the Middle Ages by the Crusader Knights, who drew attention to the amazing ability of the plant to revive. Returning from a military campaign, they consecrated their find and gave it the name "Resurrection Flower".
Legends of the flower
The biblical version of the appearance of this flower claims that Mary discovered an unusual plant on her way to Egypt. She blessed him with immortality. Therefore, sometimes it is called the "hand of Mary".
The second legend is described in the famous story "The Rose of Jericho" by Ivan Bunin. It says that the name of the herbaceous plant was given by the Monk Savva, who settled in the Judean desert.
Description of the plant
Rose of Jericho (spike moss) is a speciesherbaceous annuals of the Cabbage family, a representative of the genus Anastatica ("the only one").
This is a small plant, no more than fifteen centimeters long. Small greyish leaves. The flowers of the plant are very small, white. The rose of Jericho, the photo of which you see in our article, grows in the desert in early spring, and flowering and fruit set begin very quickly. At this time in the desert there is still enough moisture for the plant. Like other herbaceous annuals that grow in drought conditions, the Jericho rose is an ephemeroid.
When the drought sets in, the tiny stems dry out and begin to curl inwards. A kind of ball is formed. Strong gusts of wind easily tear off the upper part of the plant, and it rolls on the sand. Along the way, she collects the same balls and forms very large tumbleweeds. They move around until they get stuck somewhere wetter. Moisture causes the stems to swell and begin to straighten out, the seeds spill out of them.
It should be noted that the seeds of this amazing plant remain viable for several years, but, getting into a fairly humid environment, they germinate in just a few hours.
You need to know that there is another representative of the flora with similar properties - scaly selaginella. The rose of Jericho is a completely different, unrelated plant, although the Hawaiian plaunka is very similar to the features of the life cycle and appearance of the anastatic.
Distribution
Rose of Jericho - a plant,which is better known as tumbleweed, "lives" in the deserts of Western Asia, from Syria to Arabia and from Egypt to Morocco. It is also found in Central Asia.
Views
The Rose of Jericho comes in several varieties, so it's important to know their differences before deciding what care a particular plant needs.
The most common type is the Martens rose. It has erect stems that can reach a length of thirty centimeters, but gradually they become lodging. Its branches are slightly fern-like, but the tips of the leaves are silvery white.
Selaginella scaly has stems that do not grow more than ten centimeters in length. If the humidity in the room is insufficient, they curl into a ball, but as soon as the plant is watered, it immediately comes to life and scatters leaves.
Growing
Rose of Jericho needs high humidity (at least 60%), so she does not feel very comfortable indoors. If you want to place this plant not in a florarium, but in an ordinary container, then you should know that good ventilation must also be provided at high humidity. Place the pot in a tray of peat moss, sphagnum or expanded clay, which needs to be moistened regularly.
It should be noted that the rose of Jericho belongs to shade-tolerant plants, so you can create a mini-garden placed in a bottle. He will be fine even on the north side,and if your windows face south, then the plant should be placed away from the window or slightly shaded with gauze or tracing paper.
Another important argument in favor of putting the plant in a bottle is the need to constantly maintain a certain humidity of the substrate (overdrying it is unacceptable). And in an open container, constantly moist soil will be harmful to the plant and can even kill it.
Watering the composition in a vessel (as in a container) should be settled and soft water. Its temperature should be at room temperature. The soil for growing roses should be slightly acidic, do not forget to put good drainage in the bottom of the bottle or aquarium.
For better growth, a green pet should be fed from time to time. This is usually done in spring and summer. Use diluted nutrient fertilizer (1:3 ratio). With the help of a long wire, the earth should be loosened so that the air penetrates the soil better.
Rose of Jericho Care
This is a rather whimsical plant, so certain recommendations must be followed.
Temperature conditions
Optimal can be considered a temperature of +18 degrees. The flower loves warmth, but the indicated indicators should not be exceeded, that is, the room should not be warmer than +20 oС.
Lighting
Rose of Jericho does not tolerate direct sunlight, light partial shade is much preferable.
Irrigation conditions
Since the plant "arrived" to us fromtropics, we must not forget that he needs moist air, as in his homeland. To achieve this, you need to spray the rose with water several times a day. Moreover, cold liquid cannot be used for this purpose. It should be slightly warm. The flower needs abundant watering, it is better to do this through a pallet. In this case, the soil will absorb as much moisture as required.
Feeding and transplanting
Feed the soil should be monthly. You can use nitrogenous fertilizers. Once every two years (in spring), the Jericho rose needs to be repotted to improve growth.
I must say that the plant is resistant to various diseases and pests. Her only enemy is dry air, which can provoke the development of a spider mite. A simple soap solution will help get rid of it.
The plant is propagated by green cuttings. To do this, in early spring, plant them in a small greenhouse and put it in the shade. The cuttings will root in two weeks.
Useful properties
Rose of Jericho moisturizes indoor air, serves as a natural freshener, as it exudes the aroma of steppe herbs. The plant has bactericidal properties, disinfects the air. In addition, it absorbs tobacco smoke. If a flower is placed in the bedroom, it will promote better sleep. Dried, the annual can be used to control moths in the closet.
Rose of Jericho is a very interesting and spectacular plant. With proper care, she will delight you with her exotic beauty.
