Desert Rose is the name given to rosette formations of the minerals gypsum and barite with sand inclusions. The 'petals' are crystals flattened , fanning open along characteristic gypsum cleavage planes. The rosette crystal habit tends to occur when the crystals form in arid sandy conditions, such as the evaporation of a shallow salt basin.
Desert roses are mineral formations that are found on the surface and are beautiful examples of the natural power of the shaping forces of wind, water and pressure in dry, arid regions. These formations are also called Sand Roses, Rose Rocks, Selenite Roses, Gypsum Roses, and Barite Roses
Desert roses are crystal-like formations and may produce a rose shape, multiple plates adjoining at angles or the formations may look like a cluster of cereal flakes. They can look like flowers that have turned to stone. Native American stories told us that these were rocks carved into flowers by our ancestors to let us know they were here before us. Desert Roses take on the color of the sand because Selenite is a fibrous mineral and fine sand becomes trapped between the fibers as it crystallizes.
Desert roses form out of two minerals. One of those is Barite, which is the heavier of the two. The other is a type of Gypsum called Selenite. Selenite is the more fragile of the two. Gypsum (Selenite) roses usually have better defined, sharper edges than barite roses.
Desert roses are only found in deserts, which is how they got the name. Gypsum Selenite Desert Roses are mostly from the Sahara Middle East Region, Southwest USA and Mexico. The Barite Rose Rocks are more abundant in Oklahoma than anywhere else in the world and are the state rock of Oklahoma. Once these rock formations reach the surface, they are eroded quickly by the forces of wind and water.
