The Rose of Jericho is available in many shops and at Christmas and Easter markets, especially around Easter and Christmas. However, it is usually the so-called "false" or fake rose of Jericho, a moss fern plant from the deserts of Central and South America. In contrast to the true rose of Jericho, which is a dead cruciferous plant, the seasonally wet Selaginella lepidophylla can be propagated by cuttings. The propagation of the real rose of Jericho, Anastatica hierochuntica, on the other hand, is only possible with seeds.
In its dry core, the Rose of Jericho carries seeds that can be used for propagation
True Rose of Jericho can be propagated by seeds
The annual True Rose of Jericho is mainly found in the dry and hot deserts of Israel and Jordan. The plant dies after its very short lifetime and when it dies, the leaves roll up into balls. After a downpour, Anastatica hierochuntica seems to rise again, because the humidity causes its leaves to unroll. However, this only appears to be a resurrection, because the plant is and remains dead. However, it releases part of its seeds with each "resurrection", which is also the reason for this unusual physical effect. You can collect the seeds and use them for propagation. By the way: The green leaves that sometimes appear after a "resurrection" are not a sign that the True Rose of Jericho is actually alive again. Instead, they are the cotyledons of the seedlings.
Sow seeds of the True Rose of Jericho
You can multiply the True Rose of Jericho as follows:
- Fill the breeding pots with bird sand or a low-nutrient, dry sand mixture.
- Cactus soil, for example, works very well.
- Spread the seeds on the substrate, but do not cover them.
- Put the potty in a warm and sunny place.
- Keep the substrate well moist.
- The seedlings appear within a short time.
The months of March and April are ideal for seed propagation.
Cuttings can only be taken from live plants
Although the real rose of Jericho can be propagated from seeds, it is not usually propagated from cuttings - at least not if the plant has already died. The propagation of cuttings is only successful with living plants, which is why the false rose of Jericho (Selaginella lepidophylla) is particularly suitable for this purpose. For this purpose, cut top cuttings in the spring and plant them in cactus soil or another low-nutrient sand mixture. Place the planter in a bright place with a temperature of at least 20 °C.
tips
The name "Rose of Jericho" is understood as the third plant species of the daisy family Pallenis hierochuntica, which can also be propagated by seeds.