Petrified Wood

About Petrified Wood

Fossil wood in which the original plant material has been replaced by silica, often preserving growth rings and cell structure. It forms when buried logs are soaked by mineral rich groundwater over long periods. Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona protects logs from the Triassic period. Iron and other trace minerals produce red, yellow, and purple colors. It is the state gem of Washington. Removing it from national parks is illegal.