The resurrection plant or resurrection lily is a plant of the genus “Selaginella lepidophylla”. This plant originates from the desert area of the southwestern part of the United States and northern Mexico. The plants are very popular among succulent collectors for their unique abilities to store water in their leaves and stem so that they can survive long periods without water.
This specific species also goes by other names, such as “resurrection fern”, “rose of Jericho”, “pineapple weed,” and “Chihuahua lily”.
Although these plants are popular among succulent collectors, they must be cared for properly to ensure their survival.
Why is it called the resurrection plant?
The resurrection plant does not appear to be a magical or spiritual plant, but it is still called the resurrection plant because of its ability to store water in its stems and leaves.
This trait makes the plants very useful as succulent collectors would be able to keep their plants alive for long durations without having to water them.
Instead of watering plants, succulent collectors would have to mist them with water using dry sprits because the plants are too tough for succulents which wilt easily when they are watered directly. It is for this reason that these plants are also sometimes called Chihuahua lily, or pineapple weed.
How do you start a resurrection plant?
Step 1
Get a container. It can be plastic or glass pots that have been cleaned and you’ll need to fill it with gravel or sand to allow for proper drainage.
Step 2
Add some soil and your plant to it. You can start from a resurrection seed and plant it in the soil. The best way to do this is to take the rooted cutting from the leaf of your plant, transplant it inside the soil and water well before putting it in place. If you don’t have a rooted cutting of the Rose Family, start by planting one seed directly on top of the soil, cover with dirt 1/4″ thick then put more soil on that so there are 3/16″ thick. Make sure you water it well during this process.
Step 3
Once your plant is acclimated to its new soil, try to put it in the sunlight as much as possible, as sunlight is the best source of energy and nutrients to boost it. You can use fluorescent light or plug it into a lamp if you have one. If you have a window then you’ll need another bulb, but not your normal light bulb. You may want to use a plant-specific light bulb because of its special spectrum for plants.
Step 4
Water your plant with distilled water usually twice daily. You don’t have to water it every day because it has a deep plumbing system so you want to go easy on that. If you do water your plant frequently, make sure not to overwater it. Be sure the soil always feels dry and empty before watering your plant.
Step 5
Once every 3 weeks, give your plant a seaweed bath. Before doing this, make sure that the pot is cleaned and you just add the salt in the water so that you don’t create too much stress for your plants by putting both things at once.
Step 6
When you cut your plant, try to cut it low and not completely take the leaves off, just the stem. In order for this plant to grow out, you need to put more leaves on the stem so that it’ll have more energy. That’s a must in this plant if you want to get it or not make some size difference, otherwise is just going to stay minuscule and remain there like a baby or a caterpillar. You have to make an effort sometimes because the stem is very small at the beginning of its development period.
Resurrection plants are durable plants that thrive best in an average household environment. They should not be placed in direct sunlight but can do well near cool windows. If you follow the care and watering instructions provided, your plant could live for an extended period of time.
How do you take care of a resurrection plant?
If you are planning to get a resurrection plant, then you must first build the soil that it will grow in. This is because this plant is not a very strong plant and it cannot thrive in most soils.
The soil that the resurrection plant needs should have at least 100 percent of sand included. This should be the only ingredient in the soil for your plants to survive and grow healthily.
You can either buy bags of sand or find them out in your backyard. Just make sure that you avoid using black sand or any other kind of colored sand as well as dirt or stones which some might have accidentally poured into their bags when they were buying sand from hardware stores.
The preferred soil for a resurrection plant should have SAND ONLY. No dirt, no rocks, and no black sand. Just regular sand and nothing else.
After you have the proper soil, you can now transplant the resurrection plants to the pots that you want them to live in for the rest of their lives. However, these plants are very easily damaged so be warned not to drop them from more than a few feet high or they might die.
Also be careful not to damage their stems as well because they can snap them off if they fall from high up or if you try to handle the plant too roughly.
Just like many other succulent plants, the plants need a lot of water to survive. This is why it is advisable for you to provide them with a water dish that can be filled with distilled water or rainwater.
Additionally, you should also keep the soil moist around your resurrection plant plants at all times so that they can grow properly. This way they will be able to survive and thrive in their new homes.
Resurrection lilies are generally very tough as well because of how they are able to store water inside the leaves and stems for long periods of time without having to keep watering them.
How long do resurrection plants live?
These plants are also known to live from 20 years to nearly 200 years old depending on the care that you give them. By following the tips in this article, you should be able to get a healthy resurrection plant that will live for a long time.
The resurrection plant can live for a very long time. However, this does not mean that you should keep your resurrection plants from growing.
They may be able to survive for a long time, but they need water and sunlight to stay healthy and grow properly. Just make sure that you keep them watered at all times so that they do not wither away in their pots.
Beware of overwatering too though since this will just cause the roots to rot and it will kill the plant eventually if you do not start using less water in them. The key is to know how much water your plants need and find a nice balance between giving them too much or too little water that will eventually lead to their death.
Can you kill a resurrection plant?
If you are a fan of the resurrection plant, then you might be wondering if you can kill them. The answer is yes, you can kill your resurrection plants.
#1 The most surefire way to kill a resurrection plant is to let them dry out completely for more than two weeks at a time. If they are not watered at all, then they might not make it. They need constant watering just like any other plant so be sure that you keep their soil moist at all times so that they do not die from lack of water.
#2 You can also kill your resurrection plants using fertilizer. Any kind of fertilizer that you can buy at a hardware store is toxic to plants so be careful not to use these kinds of fertilizers so that you don’t kill your plants.
#3 You can also kill your resurrection plant by cutting it off the plant and leaving it in the sun for a long time to dry out. Although this may be more harmful to you than your plant, it will still kill them eventually.
However, these are the two biggest ways that you can kill them and there are a few other ways as well such as over-watering or over-fertilizing (if done accidentally). These types of mistakes are very common but they should not happen with a little care on your part.
Does Rose of Jericho need soil?
Yes, Rose of Jericho do require soil. They don’t need much water, and they don’t need much light either, but they do require soil.
You’re right that it does not look like a succulent plant like aloe vera. That’s why is has its own unique scientific name in the Plantae kingdom – Crassulacean Acid Metabolism or CAM Plants or Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) Plants: are a group of plants that have evolved an interesting survival mechanism.
Some plants have the ability to store water in their leaves during times of plenty and use this stored water to regrow lost leaves due to mechanical damage by wind and other natural phenomena.
Resurrection plant benefits
Grow a resurrection plant for animal homes, including cats and dogs. They are easy to care for and very hardy; they can live for years. They do not require much water, food or light.
Resurrection Plants are easy to grow, requiring minimal water (if any) and no maintenance, yet they bloom in the spring and fall, making them perfect additions to gardens of all sizes.
Finding the right sized container can be a challenge especially if you have pets that may need more space than others.
Resurrection plant care
The original watering instructions from the label were: water thoroughly when soil feels dry to touch. Let drain through several hours, or until water has completely drained out of the bottom of the pot.
If you question whether or not it needs water, let it go without for a few days and check on it. When in doubt, do not water.
If you are overwatering your Resurrection Plant, that’s no good because they rot easily and die quickly so be sure to check on them once a week at least and keep an eye out for mold or mildew and make sure they have enough air flow as well.
Some people say that you should use a tomato or other type of fertilizer but I would be careful about that because the fertilizer will kill the plant. Just use water and a little bit of food every month or so for your plant’s needs.
Does Rose of Jericho need sunlight?
Yes, Resurrection Plants do need sunlight in order to grow correctly. They really like to be in the shade so if you can find a spot that is out of the sun or even a dark closet or someplace where it doesn’t get very bright, that would be great.
Some people like to put them outside, but sometimes if it is cold enough outside you might want to put it outside for the first year just so you can see how much it grows. Then every couple of years after that you can move it outside and let the sun impact the growth on your plant.
Resurrection plants are hardy plants that can withstand all kinds of weather whether hot sun or winter snow fall.
Resurrection plant facts
The resurrection plant can live for a very long time. However, this does not mean that you should keep your resurrection plants from growing.
They may be able to survive for a long time, but they need water and sunlight to stay healthy and grow properly. Just make sure that you keep them watered at all times so that they do not wither away in their pots.
The soil should not remain at the top of the pot, as this will cause it to dry out. In order for this plant to grow out, you need to put more leaves on the stem so that it will have more energy.
That’s a must in this plant if you want to get it or not make some size difference, otherwise is just going to stay minuscule and remain there like a baby or a caterpillar. You have to make an effort sometimes because the stem is very small at the beginning of its development period.
This plant does not need fertilizer since it grows wild in tough conditions where there are no nutrients available for them to grow; therefore they do really well without fertilizer.
#1 Using fertilizer to help the plant grow will actually kill the plant because it does not need it. This will have a negative effect on their growth.
#2 If you must fertilize your plant, only do so when repotting or transplanting them and make sure that you do not put fertilizer in the soil of your plants as this may cause them to die from over-feeding.
You have successfully germinated a resurrection plant; now what?
Once you see new growth on the plant, it is time to let them go outside and see how they like their new environment.
