Resurrection plants (Selaginella lepidophylla) are excellent houseplants if you are seeking something out of the ordinary as well as something easy to grow. Lycophytes, similar to ferns, are an ancient group of plants that do not flower and produce seeds as a means of reproduction. This plant is an example of a lycophyte, which reproduces asexually by means of spores. However, that is not all that makes it special.

It is known as the resurrection plant, or Rose of Jericho, which can go dormant for several years without water. The plant appears dead, however if water is provided, it will begin to revive and turn green within a few hours. The plant will fully unfold within a few days, and will “resurrect” itself to become a green, fern-like plant within a couple of weeks.

 It is thought that Selaginella lepidophylla developed this remarkable feature as a survival mechanism to survive in the harsh conditions found in its native habitat, the Chihuahuan Desert. When water becomes scarce, resurrection plants curl inward onto themselves and form a ball.

When these slow-growing plants encounter moisture, they rehydrate and unfurl their gorgeous, fern-like fronds when exposed to moisture. They travel through the desert as tumbleweeds. Due to the hardiness of the Resurrection Flower it makes an excellent house plant for people on the go.