Rose of jericho, nature’s miracle plant…

Rose of Jericho: Resurrection Plant

Selaginella Lepidophylla, (otherwise known as The Rose of Jericho) is native to the Chihuahua Desert in Mexico, and is famous for being a 'resurrection plant'. It has featured in literature and on television, and is one of our favourite skincare ingredients here at Nourish London.

After the rainy season, the plant dries up, dropping leaves and curling branches into a tight ball, and “hibernates”. Within the ball, the fruits remain attached and closed, protecting the seeds and preventing them from being released prematurely.

When deprived of water, the plant does not die, instead it enters a dormant state, and can remain this way for many years. The Rose of Jericho is a tumbleweed, and so when it has curled up and protected its seeds, it retracts its roots and is carried across the desert sands by strong winds, often rolling for decades until it finds a fresh source of water, or until rains come again.

When the plant finally reaches a fresh source of water, the ball begins to unfurl and the resurrection plant really lives up to its name. After appearing dead for years, it will ‘wake up’ from its dormant state, open up and disperse its seeds. If there is enough water in the new location, the seeds will germinate within only a few hours.

This process is amazing when it occurs even once, however the Rose of Jericho can repeat this mini miracle time and time again; travelling the deserts over and over, thanks to a complex system of sugars contained within the heart of the plant.

Rose of Jericho: Resurrection Plant

Here at Nourish London, we recognised the amazing possibilities of this amazing plant, and have managed to include it in our products to provide truly incredible levels of moisturisation in the skin. Featured in our Argan Skin Renew Moisturiser and Kale Anti-Ageing Eye Cream we love the Rose of Jericho so much, we’ve even adopted one in our London offices…

View our Rose of Jericho skincare