Desert rose (crystal)

  Desert rose is the colloquial name given to rosette formations of the minerals gypsum and barite with poikilotopic sand inclusions. The 'petals' are crystals flattened on the c crystallographic axis, fanning open along characteristic gypsum cleavage planes. (See also: Crystallography)

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The rosette crystal habit tends to occur when the crystals form in arid sandy conditions, such as the evaporation of a shallow salt basin. Gypsum roses usually have better defined, sharper edges than barite roses.

The desert rose may also be known by the names:

• sand rose
• rose rock
• selenite rose
• gypsum rose
• gypsum rosette
• barite rose

Pictures of desert roses from Büdingen, Hesse, Germany