Silicified cycad wood is a fossilized remain of ancient cycad plants where organic material has been replaced by silica, preserving cellular structures. It is highly valued by collectors for its complex, patterned texture that often displays distinct leaf base scars and trunk rings. Look for it in areas with ancient sedimentary layers, where it is frequently polished for its decorative beauty.
Is this silicified cycad 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 silicified cycad wood with a known reference. Silicified Cycad 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. Silicified Cycad Wood leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Silicified Cycad Wood typically shows a waxy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brown, tan, white, black, red.
- 5Look at form & habitTypical habit: massive.
Often confused with
Silicified Cycad Wood vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside silicified cycad wood
Minerals reported to co-occur with silicified cycad 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
- Waxy
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal habit
- Massive
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- Sedimentary Deposits
- Typical price
- $10-100 for slabs, $50-500+ for display specimens
Where rockhounds find silicified cycad wood
1 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- USA
- Argentina
- Madagascar
- Australia
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary deposits country — that is the host setting where silicified cycad wood typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, chalcedony, goethite 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 Maryland — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify silicified cycad wood?+
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Find silicified cycad wood on the map
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