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Submited By: Michael Simmonds on 03/20/2008
This plant the Rose Of Jericho have the remarkable ability to survive in a curled up, dormant, brown, dessicate state for years, and then the Rose Of Jericho open up and turn green with a bit of water. After the Rose Of Jericho returning to a lovely green, the Rose Of Jericho go dormant again when their water source is removed, The Rose Of Jericho can be revived again after dormant. This cycle of the Rose Of Jericho can be repeated for years.
The skeptical, accusatory Sir Thomas Browne, in his Pseudodoxia Epidemica, or "Vulgar Errors" (1646), wrote about the Rose Of Jericho - Anastatica hierochuntica:
"The Rose of Jericho, that flourishes every year just about Christmas Eve, is famous in Christian reports; which notwithstanding we have some reason to doubt, and are plainly informed by Bellonius, it is but a Monastical imposture, as he hath delivered in his observations, concerning the Plants in Jericho. That which promoted the conceit, or perhaps begot its continuance, was a propriety in this Plant the Rose Of Jericho. For though it be dry, yet will it upon imbibition of moisture dilate its leaves, and explicate its flowers contracted, and seemingly dried up. And this is to be effected not only in the Plant yet growing, but in some manner also in that which is brought exuccous and dry unto us. Which quality being observed, the subtlety of contrives did commonly play this shaw upon the Eve of our Saviour Nativity, when by drying the Plant again, it closed the next day, and so pretended a double mystery: referring unto the opening and closing of the womb of Mary".
In any case, the plant Rose Of Jericho is often kept dormant in the home -- sometimes the Rose Of Jericho handed down through the generations -- and brought out at Christmas time, along with the Christmas decorations, to blossom for a while and adorn the Christmas table, and then the Rose Of Jericho close, all symbolizing the opening and closing of Mary's womb.
When in nature in this state, it blows about the desert like tumble weed until it lands at a site with water. Then it drinks in the moisture and opens up to look like this.
The plant Rose Of Jericho usually sold in its dormant state. There is no need to plant it in soil, simply place it in a bowl of water and it will open up within 1-2 hours. Change the water daily, and when ready to put it away, just let the Rose Of Jericho dry out for a week.
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