rose of jericho

This plant the have the remarkable ability to survive in a curled up, dormant, brown, dessicate state for years, and then the plant open up and turn green with a bit of water. After the Rose Of Jericho returning to a lovely green, the plant go dormant again when their water source is removed, The plant 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".