Chajarat Meriem, or the Rose of Jericho, is a well-known and very ancient plant. It is very close to the chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus), which is easier to find and is also more widely used.
The functions of Chajarat Meriem are therefore similar: indeed, it regulates menstruation and promotes hormonal balance, but above all it fights infertility.
Therefore, we advise people wishing to obtain the same effects as with Chajarat Meriem, in the hope of facilitating a pregnancy, to take a course of chaste tree for seven weeks.
Which plant, and where its name comes from
Under the name Chajarat Maryam (شجرة مريم) there are actually two plants in circulation. The most common in the Maghreb and Arabia is Anastatica hierochuntica, a small desert crucifer that curls into a dry ball in hot weather and reopens its branches as soon as it's placed in water: it's the true "rose of Jericho," the one sold at markets. The second, sold under the same name in the West, is Selaginella lepidophylla, a Mexican moss that does the same thing, with no Arab medicinal tradition behind it at all. It's worth checking which one you're buying.
The name comes from a popular belief: Maryam is said to have clutched this plant in her hand while giving birth to 'Isa (peace be upon him), and it is opened in water near a woman in labor "so that the cervix opens like it does." The Qur'an tells us that Maryam leaned against the trunk of a palm tree and ate fresh dates (19:23-25); it does not mention any plant of this kind, and neither does any hadith. It can therefore be used as a plant, not as a ritual: opening the rose near the bed in the belief that it "opens" the delivery is superstition. The professor does not dwell on this and treats it for what it is: a plant for menstruation and fertility, a cousin in use to chasteberry.
How it is traditionally used
- Infusion: one whole plant, or a tablespoon of broken branches, in half a liter of boiling water, covered for 10 minutes. One cup, once or twice a day.
- For late or painful periods: two or three days before the expected date, then during the period. It is reputed to be emmenagogue, meaning it brings on menstruation.
- Around childbirth: traditional midwives give it at the end of pregnancy or during labor to "help" contractions, then in the following days for the delivery of the placenta. This is a use to be left to the midwife, never alone.
- For fertility: a course of a few weeks after the period. This is where the professor points toward chasteberry, which is better known and better dosed.
What the research has found
- A systematic review of studies on Anastatica hierochuntica lists antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, antimicrobial, and hepatoprotective properties, along with a well-documented traditional use for childbirth, while noting the absence of clinical trials (Biomed Pharmacother, 2017).
- Recent analyses identify its active metabolites (flavonoids, glucosinolates) and confirm its antioxidant and antiproliferative activity in the lab (Metabolites, 2024).
For menstruation and fertility, then, we're left with tradition alone: nothing proves it, nothing disproves it. This is why the professor points to chasteberry.
Chasteberry, the alternative backed by evidence
Chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) acts on the pituitary gland: it lowers prolactin and supports the second half of the cycle (luteal phase), when progesterone prepares the uterus for implantation.
- A meta-analysis of double-blind randomized trials: chasteberry markedly reduces the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome compared with placebo (Complement Ther Med, 2019).
- A systematic review of trials in women: effective for premenstrual syndrome, breast pain, and mild hyperprolactinemia; preliminary data are favorable for luteal insufficiency and fertility (Planta Med, 2013). In a double-blind trial of 93 women struggling to conceive, a chasteberry-based supplement improved progesterone levels and the pregnancy rate at three months (Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol, 2006).
- Its safety is well documented: rare and mild side effects (nausea, headaches, rashes) (Drug Saf, 2005).
The seven-week course indicated by the professor is consistent with the trials, which last three cycles: chasteberry in standardized extract, 20 to 40 mg per day in the morning, from the end of one period until the next, for three months, then a review. See also our remedies for infertility.
Contraindications and precautions
Neither Chajarat Maryam nor chasteberry during pregnancy: the first stimulates the uterus, the second alters hormones; both are stopped as soon as pregnancy is possible, meaning from the first missed period during a fertility course. No chasteberry while on the pill, hormonal treatment, fertility treatment (IVF, ovulation inducers), or dopaminergic medications without medical advice. The rose of Jericho has no established dose: one cup a day, no long-term course, and it is stopped in case of heavy bleeding. An absence of periods should first be explained by a doctor (pregnancy, thyroid, PCOS) before turning to any emmenagogue plant. And one should not pin the hope of a child on a plant that opens in water: a child is a gift from Allah, the plant merely one means among others.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chajarat Maryam mentioned in the Qur'an or the Sunnah?
No. The Qur'an mentions the palm tree and dates during Maryam's childbirth, not this plant. Its name comes from a popular tradition. It can be used as a plant, not as a ritual.
What is the rose of Jericho used for by women?
Traditionally, to bring on menstruation, to assist childbirth and the delivery of the placenta, and as a course for fertility. As an infusion of one plant or a tablespoon of branches, one cup a day. Evidence is lacking; chasteberry is better documented.
How should chasteberry be taken to get pregnant?
As a standardized extract, 20 to 40 mg in the morning, from the end of one period to the next, for three cycles, as in the trials. It is stopped as soon as a period is late, and it should not be taken alongside a fertility treatment without medical advice.
Can Chajarat Maryam be taken while pregnant to ease childbirth?
Not alone: this is a use reserved for a midwife, at the end of pregnancy or during labor. Beforehand, it is not advised, as it stimulates the uterus.
Where can the real Chajarat Maryam be bought?
At herbal shops in the Maghreb or online, under the name Anastatica hierochuntica. The "rose of Jericho" sold in decoration shops is often a Mexican moss with no medicinal use.
