igneous

Flowerstone (Porphyry)

Porphyritic Andesite or Basalt

Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Dark green to black groundmass with light-colored (pale green to white) phenocrysts; Luster: Dull to waxy when raw; Crystal structure: Porphyritic (large crystals in a fine-grained matrix); Cleavage: Indistinct; Specific Gravity: 2.5-3.0

Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale)
Luster: Dull to waxy when raw

Identified March 21, 2026More igneous →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed from volcanic activity where magma cooled in two stages: first slowly underground to form large crystals (phenocrysts), then rapidly upon eruption to form the fine-grained matrix. Often originating from the Jurassic or Cretaceous periods in coastal volcanic belts.

Uses & applications

Used primarily for lapidary work, jewelry (cabochons), as decorative garden stones, and highly prized as 'Suiseki' (viewing stones) in Japanese culture.

Geological facts

Commonly known as 'Flowerstone' on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, because the light-colored feldspar crystals often resemble petals or flowers frozen in the dark rock.

Field identification & locations

Identify in the field by looking for the distinct 'spotted' or 'flowered' pattern on smooth, water-worn cobbles, typically found on rocky beaches or in riverbeds. Notable locations include Texada Island and Vancouver Island.

Other igneous specimens

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Blue Apatite

Fluorapatite (Ca5(PO4)3F)

mineral

Dark Igneous Rock (Likely Basalt or Diabase)

Basalt (extrusive igneous rock) or Diabase (intrusive igneous rock - also known as Dolerite), largely composed of plagioclase feldspar, pyroxene (augite), and sometimes olivine and amphibole. Exact mineralogy would require thin section analysis.

Igneous

Magnetite

Iron(II,III) oxide (Fe3O4)

mineral

Sodalite

Sodalite - Na8(Al6Si6O24)Cl2

mineral

Blue Apatite

Apatite (Group), Ca5(PO4)3(F,Cl,OH)

mineral

Magnetite

Magnetite (Fe3O4)

mineral