Do You Know WA State’s Official Gemstone?

Do you know Washington’s Gemstone?

Did you even know such a thing existed? I didn’t, till I read an article about another state referring to their official gemstone. So, I did some research, and it turns out, Washington does NOT have an official gemstone, however, Washington’s official GEM is, believe it or not, petrified wood.

What is petrified wood? According to Wikipedia:

Petrified wood, also known as petrified tree (from Ancient Greek πέτρα meaning ‘rock’ or ‘stone’; literally ‘wood turned into stone’), is the name given to a special type of fossilized wood, the fossilized remains of terrestrial vegetation. Petrifaction is the result of a tree or tree-like plants having been replaced by stone via a mineralization process that often includes permineralization and replacement.[1] The organic materials making up cell walls have been replicated with minerals (mostly silica in the form of opal, chalcedony, or quartz). In some instances, the original structure of the stem tissue may be partially retained. Unlike other plant fossils, which are typically impressions or compressions, petrified wood is a three-dimensional representation of the original organic material.

Where is petrified wood found in Washington?

Ginkgo Petrified Forest National Landmark is known for its rare specimens of petrified Ginkgo tree which was discovered in 1932.

Saddle Mountains are in the Vantage area, and known for geological features and  petrified wood findings.

Colville National Forest is an area where people have found petrified wood. The Colville National Forest is East of the Cascade Mountains.

Remember when searching for petrified wood:

Please be respectful of the environment and any regulations in place. Check local regulations and land ownership to ensure you’re allowed to collect rocks or fossils. And, practice ethical rockhounding by not damaging the environment or taking more than you need.