Rose of jericho spiritual meaning spells rituals
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Rose of Jericho: Spiritual Meaning, Uses, and Rituals

The Rose of Jericho can look lifeless for years and turn green again in hours. Learn what it means, how to awaken it, and six rituals for luck, money, protection, and the evil eye.

The Rose of Jericho is used spiritually to bring renewal, luck, money, and protection into a home. Practitioners awaken the dried plant in water, then keep it on an altar, by the front door, or in a money bowl. They use its water to cleanse spaces, wash candles, and bless doorways.

Its power comes from one remarkable trait. The plant can look completely dead for years, then turn green again within hours of touching water. That cycle of death and return is why it's called the resurrection plant, and why it appears in Catholic homes, Hoodoo rootwork, Santería, and Latin American folk practice alike.

Below you'll find what the plant actually is, what it means, how to awaken it, and six ways to work with it, including the two rituals Lulu demonstrates in the video.

What Is the Rose of Jericho?

Despite its name, the Rose of Jericho isn't a rose. The plant most botanicas sell, is Selaginella lepidophylla, a spike moss native to Mexico's Chihuahuan Desert and the American Southwest. In Spanish, it's often called flor de Jericó, doradilla, or siempreviva, "always alive."

When dry, it curls into a tight brown ball. Set it in water, and it unfurls and turns green, often within a few hours. It can repeat that cycle for years.

True vs. False Rose of Jericho

The name originally belonged to a different plant. The "true" Rose of Jericho, Anastatica hierochuntica, is a small mustard-family plant from the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa. It also opens when wet, but it stays tan and woody.

Pilgrims brought Anastatica home from the Holy Land as a symbol of the Resurrection. Over time, the name and its legends passed to the green Selaginella, which revives far more dramatically and is much easier to find. Practitioners treat both as the same sacred plant. If yours turns green in water, you have Selaginella.

The Spiritual Meaning of the Rose of Jericho

The Rose of Jericho stands for resurrection, renewal, and second chances. A plant that comes back from apparent death is a living promise that luck, money, love, or health can come back too.

When it opens, practitioners see the road opening with it. Its water is believed to absorb the plant's energy and the intentions placed on it, which is why the water matters as much as the plant.

People reach for it when they want to:

  • Revive stalled finances, business, or luck
  • Start fresh after a loss or a hard season
  • Clear stagnant or negative energy from a home
  • Protect a household from envy and the evil eye

The Rose of Jericho in Spiritual Traditions

Few sacred plants cross as many traditions as the Rose of Jericho. Christian pilgrims, Hoodoo rootworkers, Santería practitioners, and Latin American families all keep it for the same reason: a plant that returns from apparent death carries the promise of renewal. Each tradition works with it in its own way.

Catholic and Christian Tradition

According to Christian legend, Mary encountered the Rose of Jericho during the Holy Family's flight into Egypt and blessed it. That legend is why many Christian families keep one in the home. In Arabic-speaking regions, the plant is known as Kaff Maryam, "Mary's hand."

In parts of Europe, families set the plant in water on Christmas Eve and read how fully it opened as a sign for the year ahead. The tradition runs deep: a dried Rose of Jericho has been kept in the cathedral treasury of Halberstadt, Germany, likely since the Middle Ages.

Hoodoo and Rootwork

In Hoodoo, the Rose of Jericho is a prosperity plant. A bowl with the rose and a few coins is kept near the front door, and its water is sprinkled on counters, tables, and cash registers to draw business. The water is also added to floor washes for good fortune.

Santería

In some Santería houses, the Rose of Jericho is associated with the Orisha Shangó and placed on his altar as an offering for his protection and blessings.

Latin American Folk Practice

Across Mexico and the Caribbean, the flor de Jericó is a household staple, usually kept with a printed prayer. Many are sold with a prayer and instructions for this reason.

Rose jericho water bowl

Filled with potent spiritual energy, use the Rose of Jericho in any spell or ritual in which you want to manifest rebirth, new life, or new awakenings.

How to Awaken a Rose of Jericho

Awakening the plant is the first step of every ritual. Treat it as a ritual in itself.

  1. Choose a glass or glazed bowl. Wash it with Holy Water, dry it, and fill it with fresh, room-temperature water.
  2. Hold the dry Rose of Jericho in your hands and set your intention clearly. Pray, meditate, or simply state what you want it to bring into your life.
  3. Place it in the bowl, root side down. Visualize it drawing in the water's energy and awakening its power.
  4. Give it time. It begins to open within a few hours and is usually fully green within a day or two.
    Many practitioners awaken a new rose during the waxing or full moon, when energy is building.

Rose of Jericho Rituals

Once your Rose of Jericho is awake, it's ready to work. The rituals below draw on its power for luck, money, protection, and cleansing, and most can run alongside one another. Start with the one that speaks to what you need most, and keep the rose's water, because many of these rituals put it to use.

Good Luck Ritual

This ritual, which Lulu demonstrates in the video, keeps the rose's energy close to you while a gold candle calls in luck. You'll need:

Begin during the waxing moon. Place the rose where you spend the most time, such as your living room, office, or meditation space. Hold the candle and fill it with the energy of good luck. If you need luck with something specific, carve a word or symbol for it into the wax.

Wash the candle with the rose's water, let it air-dry, and dress it with the oil. Light it beside the rose. Focus on your desire for good luck and see it arriving with ease and grace, with the rose amplifying your intention.

Repeat once a day for seven days leading up to the full moon. Snuff the candle each time and thank it.

Money and Abundance Bowl

Lulu's second ritual turns the Rose of Jericho into a money bowl that keeps working as long as you feed it. You'll need:

Place the rose in the glass container and surround it with coins and the crystals. Dress the green candle with the oil. Lulu recommends rolling it in gold glitter too, so the gold and green work together for financial success.

Light the candle beside the bowl every day, set your intentions for prosperity, and snuff it when you finish. Each time you come across spare change, add it to the bowl as a sign of your commitment. Acknowledge every small sign of luck or new money.

Renew the bowl when your intuition says it's time: change the water, add fresh coins or crystals, and restate your intentions.

Front Door Prosperity Water

For this ritual, you will need:

Place the rose in a shallow bowl of water by your front door to invite prosperity into your home. Add five coins to the water to increase your opportunities for success.

Dress a prosperity candle with Rose of Jericho Oil and recite this traditional prayer:

Divine Rose of Jericho,
By the power you hold within you,
Through the love of Christ Jesus and His great mercy,
I ask all this of you.
Amen.

Business owners can sprinkle this water on counters and the cash register to draw customers.

Reviving rose jericho plant

The Rose of Jericho is a powerful tool for converting negative energies into positive ones.

Purification and Protection Ritual

This seven-day ritual uses the rose to pull negative energy out of your home and charge protective crystals at the same time. You'll need:

During a full moon, awaken the rose and let it soak for six hours. Change the water and set both crystals in the bowl beside it. Place the bowl in the center of your home for seven days.

If the water turns cloudy or dark, tradition holds that the rose has absorbed negative energy. Change the water and let it keep working. After seven days, your crystals are charged and ready to carry as everyday protection.

Change the water each full moon to keep the ritual going, and use that fresh water to recharge your crystals, amulets, and medals.

Remove the Evil Eye

If you believe you're the target of envy or the evil eye, Rose of Jericho water can help lift it. You'll need:

Place an Azabache Hand on top of the rose. Set a white candle or an evil eye candle in front of the bowl, ideally on a Tuesday or Friday morning.

For three days, light the candle and meditate facing it. On the third day, sprinkle the water through your home, yard, windows, and doors. As you do, ask your spirit guides and the spirit of the rose to remove the evil eye.

Using Rose of Jericho Water

The water is a spiritual tool in its own right. Dip your fingers in it and draw a cross on the back of your front door to keep evil out. Use it in floor washes, as a base for other spiritual waters, or to cleanse protective jewelry and amulets. It's for spiritual use only, so don't drink it.

Caring for Your Rose of Jericho

With a little care, one Rose of Jericho can serve you for years.

  • Change the water every two to three days, and any time it turns cloudy or starts to smell.
  • Give it bright, indirect light. Keep it out of hot, direct sun and away from heaters and drafts.
  • Let it rest. Every week or two, take it out of the water and let it dry and close completely before awakening it again. Constant soaking invites mold and rot.
  • Trim browned outer fronds. Some shedding is normal.
  • Keep flames back. A dry rose is very flammable, so set candles a safe distance away.

Between rituals, store it dry in a clean cloth or box. It will be ready the next time you need it.

Rose of Jericho FAQ

What is the Rose of Jericho used for spiritually?
It's used for renewal, luck, money, protection, and cleansing. Practitioners awaken it in water and keep it on an altar, by the front door, or in a money bowl, and use the water to bless homes, candles, and amulets.

Is the Rose of Jericho a real rose?
No. The plant sold today is Selaginella lepidophylla, a desert spike moss. It's called a rose because of how it unfurls, and it takes its name from the original plant associated with Jericho.

What's the difference between the true and false Rose of Jericho?
The true Rose of Jericho, Anastatica hierochuntica, comes from the Middle East and North Africa and stays tan when it opens. The "false" one, Selaginella lepidophylla, comes from the Chihuahuan Desert and turns green. Both carry the same spiritual meaning, and the green Selaginella is the one most botanicas sell.

How long does it take a Rose of Jericho to open?
It starts to unfurl within a few hours and is usually fully open and green within a day or two.

How often should I change the water?
Every two to three days, or sooner if it turns cloudy.

What does it mean when the water turns cloudy or dark?
Tradition says the rose has absorbed negative energy from your space. Pour the water out away from your home, rinse the bowl, and refill it.

What do I do with the old water?
Use it before it turns. Sprinkle it at doorways, add it to a floor wash, or wash candles and amulets with it. Water that has absorbed negativity should be poured out away from your home.

Can a Rose of Jericho die?
It can rot or mold if it's never allowed to dry out. Let it rest dry every week or two, and it can last for years.

When should I start a Rose of Jericho ritual?
Start luck and money work during the waxing moon, as energy grows. Begin cleansing and protection work at the full moon.

Even without a single flower, the Rose of Jericho is a beautiful and sacred plant. Its water is a gift, full of spiritual energy for any ritual where you want rebirth, new life, or a new beginning. Save that water and use it on yourself, your belongings, and your home to bring in prosperity, keep away envy, and protect you from misfortune.