Flower Jasper is a variety of microcrystalline quartz characterized by distinctive floral or star-burst patterns within the stone matrix. It is highly sought after by lapidaries for its intricate patterning and ability to take a high polish, commonly appearing as ornamental cabochons.
Is this flower jasper?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch flower jasper with a known reference. Flower Jasper sits at Mohs 6.5-7 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Flower Jasper leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Flower Jasper typically shows a waxy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: pink, white, red, brown, tan.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Flower Jasper vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside flower jasper
Minerals reported to co-occur with flower jasper. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- SiO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5-7
- Density
- 2.6 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Waxy
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Decorative, Collector
- Host rock
- Sedimentary or Volcanic Environments
- Typical price
- $5-50 for slabs or polished cabochons
Where rockhounds find flower jasper
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Mexico
- Madagascar
- USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary or volcanic environments country — that is the host setting where flower jasper typically forms. If you start seeing chalcedony, quartz in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a massive habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Washington — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find flower jasper on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
