Silicified palm wood is a fossilized material formed when silica-rich water infiltrates organic plant matter, replacing cellular structures with chalcedony. Collectors prize it for the distinct 'starburst' or 'dot' patterns visible in cross-sections, which are actually the fossilized vascular bundles of the palm plant.
Is this silicified palm 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 palm wood with a known reference. Silicified Palm 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 Palm Wood leaves a white streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Silicified Palm Wood typically shows a waxy luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brown, tan, black, white, red.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: trigonal. Typical habit: pseudomorphous.
Often confused with
Silicified Palm Wood vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside silicified palm wood
Minerals reported to co-occur with silicified palm 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
- Translucent
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Crystal habit
- Pseudomorphous
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Common
- Uses
- Lapidary, Collector, Decorative
- Host rock
- Sedimentary Deposits
- Typical price
- $10-100 for slabs or polished specimens
Where rockhounds find silicified palm wood
2 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- Texas, USA
- Louisiana, USA
- Mississippi, USA
- Indonesia
Field-hunting tip
Look in sedimentary deposits country, the host setting where silicified palm wood typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, chalcedony in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a pseudomorphous habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Louisiana. Start trip planning there.
More silicified palm wood photos
Common questions
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Find silicified palm wood on the map
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