Fossilized wood forms when plant material is buried in sediment and replaced by silica-rich water, preserving the original cellular structure. Collectors look for visible tree rings, bark texture, and vibrant patterns created by mineral impurities during the permineralization process. It is commonly found in ancient riverbeds and volcanic ash deposits where organic decay was halted.
Is this fossilized wood?
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 fossilized wood with a known reference. Fossilized Wood 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. Fossilized Wood leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Fossilized Wood typically shows a vitreous luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brown, red, yellow, white, black, multicolored.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: amorphous. Typical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Fossilized Wood vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous on Fossilized Wood and waxy on Agate.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous on Fossilized Wood and waxy on Jasper.
How to tell apart: Luster reads vitreous on Fossilized Wood and waxy on Flint Nodules.
Often found alongside fossilized wood
Minerals reported to co-occur with fossilized wood. 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
- 2.6-2.7 g/cm³
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Amorphous
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative, Jewelry
- Host rock
- Sedimentary Deposits
- Typical price
- $5-50 for small polished pieces, $100-500 for large display slabs.
Where rockhounds find fossilized wood
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Arizona, USA
- Madagascar
- Indonesia
- Argentina
- Greece
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary deposits country — that is the host setting where fossilized wood typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, chalcedony, opal 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 Indiana — start trip planning there.
Common questions
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Find fossilized wood on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
