The Rose of Jericho is famous for its remarkable ability to seemingly “resurrect” after completely drying out, earning it a nearly mythical status. This transformation, where a dry, lifeless ball unfurls upon contact with water, makes it a popular curiosity sold worldwide. Its survival strategy, known as desiccation tolerance, allows it to endure extreme desert conditions. Many wonder about its basic biology, particularly whether this “resurrection plant” actually produces flowers. The answer, however, depends entirely on which plant you are referring to.
Defining the Two Plants Known as the Rose of Jericho
The confusion surrounding the Rose of Jericho stems from the name being commonly applied to two distinct and unrelated plant species. The true Rose of Jericho is Anastatica hierochuntica, a small, annual flowering desert shrub belonging to the mustard family (Brassicaceae). This plant is native to the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa.
The second species, often marketed as the Rose of Jericho, is Selaginella lepidophylla, a non-flowering plant from the Americas, specifically the Chihuahuan Desert. This species is commonly known as the False Rose of Jericho or Spike Moss (family Selaginellaceae). Though both species curl into a tight ball when dry, they differ fundamentally in structure, life cycle, and reproductive methods.
The Flowering and Seed Dispersal of Anastatica hierochuntica
The true Rose of Jericho, Anastatica hierochuntica, is classified as an angiosperm, meaning it is a seed-producing plant that does flower. The flowers are tiny, white, and generally inconspicuous, measuring only about two millimeters in diameter. These miniature blooms appear during the wet season, typically in March and April, and develop into small, globe-shaped fruit capsules called silicles.
The plant’s most notable feature is its unique, mechanical method of seed dispersal, tied directly to its dormant state. When the plant dies and dries out, its branches curl inward, forming a tightly closed ball that protects the seeds from the arid environment. This dormant, skeletal form can detach from its roots and be blown across the desert landscape like a tumbleweed, a process known as anemochory.
This dead plant acts as a natural water gauge, releasing its seeds only when conditions are suitable for germination. When the dried ball is moistened, the hygroscopic branches mechanically unfurl, exposing the fruit capsules. This purely physical opening process allows raindrops to strike the exposed capsules, forcibly dispersing the seeds onto the moist soil.
Spore Reproduction and the Resurrection Cycle of Selaginella lepidophylla
In contrast to its namesake, Selaginella lepidophylla does not produce flowers or seeds because it is a primitive vascular plant classified as a lycophyte. As a spike moss, it reproduces solely by releasing microscopic spores, which are reproductive cells housed in specialized structures called strobili. Therefore, the answer to whether this common “resurrection plant” flowers is a definitive no.
This species is a true resurrection plant, meaning its living tissues can survive near-total desiccation, losing up to 95% of their water content without dying. Its remarkable survival mechanism, known as anhydrobiosis, is a cellular process that allows the plant to enter a state of suspended animation. The plant physically coils into a tight, brown ball to minimize surface area and protect its inner tissues.
On a molecular level, the plant synthesizes and accumulates high concentrations of specific sugars, particularly trehalose, as it dries out. Trehalose acts as a protectant, stabilizing cellular membranes and proteins by replacing lost water molecules. This process essentially vitrifies the cell contents into a stable, glassy state, preventing structural collapse. When moisture returns, the trehalose dissolves, and the plant rapidly resumes its metabolic functions, unfurling its stems and turning green again within hours.