igneous

Flowerstone

Porphyritic Basalt or Porphyritic Andesite

Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale); Color: Dark green to black matrix with white, cream, or yellowish 'flower' patterns (phenocrysts); Luster: Dull to sub-vitreous; Crystal structure: Aphanitic (fine-grained) matrix with visible plagioclase feldspar laths; Specific gravity: 2.8-3.0.

Hardness: 6-7 (Mohs scale)
Luster: Dull to sub-vitreous

Identified March 28, 2026More igneous →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed through volcanic activity where magma begins cooling slowly underground, allowing large crystals (phenocrysts) to grow, followed by a rapid surface eruption that cools the remaining 'groundmass' quickly. Most Pacific Northwest specimens date to the Triassic or Jurassic periods.

Uses & applications

Primarily used as a lapidary material for jewelry, cabochons, and decorative ornamental stones. Occasionally used in landscaping and as a highly sought-after specimen for rock collectors.

Geological facts

The 'flowers' in the stone are actually radial clusters of plagioclase feldspar crystals. It is the unofficial 'rock of Vancouver Island' and is prized by beachcombers for its unique celestial or floral appearance.

Field identification & locations

Identified by the distinct contrast between the dark, smooth matrix and the star-shaped or flower-like light mineral clusters. Commonly found on the beaches of Vancouver Island (notably Texada Island and Campbell River) and the Olympic Peninsula. Wetting the stone reveals the pattern more clearly.

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