Flowerstone (also known as Chrysanthemum Stone, Snowflake Stone and is similar to Chinese Writing Rock and Rice Rock) is a gabbro porphyry of feldspar crystals usually in basalt that shows a distinct flower pattern.
When the feldspar crystals are well-developed, Flowerstone is a rock unlike any other. Its crystal petals bloom and reflect the beauty of British Columbian nature. They are thought to have blossomed in an explosion, creating the flower shape of the crystals bursting in all directions.
Flowerstone is found only in some places on Vancouver Island and in Japan. Texada Island was known for its supply but has since put a moratorium on mining it. It is still permitted for rockhounders to remove Flowerstone by hand but is found very rarely.
Flowerstone ranges in crystal development. Classic pieces are flurries of white flowers on a black background, but some have just a few flowers on a gray background, some have flowers in different colours and some resemble pieces of rice, snowflakes or lettering.
View our gallery below
A few pieces of many Flowerstones like this.
Here's a big, well-formed example. Not the greatest picture though.
FS313
My favourite Flowerstone of the day. This one has a lot of flowers on it but not every one has developed fully, many are more just warped circles. I love the colouring. It's also known as chrysanthemum stone and Chinese Writing Stone. The latter has a bit of a different look though.
Rough Vancouver Island Flowerstone.
FS244
Some of the rocks we found at Cowichan River today, including Dallasite, red jasper and Flowerstone.
FS313
Big chunk of Flowerstone. It is a similar rock to Chinese Writing Rock, both found on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.
These guys. I found a large number of big boulders of them all in one spot. I think they would make better landscaping rocks than anything.
Flowerstone through the water.
Flowerstone, also known as Chrysanthemum Stone. These were the first couple chunks I found right when I got here, and then I knew the hunt was on.
This Flowerstone has gone through one coarse grind in my tumbler. Sometimes I just "know" when one's lurking in the pebbles around me.
FS244
Closeup of the Flowerstone piece. The feldspar crystal flowers look great. I love the ones with a dark background.
CW121
CW110
FS419
Dry bucket pic unfortunately. Some petrified wood but lots of Flowerstone underneath. One piece is readily apparent in the top middle, and that is the most common kind of Flowerstone in the location I found.
FS419
The Flowerstone on the left is what we're after most. That one's solid throughout and can be polished.
FS419
FS24
Vancouver Island Flowerstone and some of its variations in feldspar development.
FS313
A well-developed example of rough Flowerstone.
CW121
FS24
CW121
FS14
FS14
CW110
FS419
Close shot of the Chrysanthemum and Flower Stone.
CW121
A little Flowerstone chunk (also known as chrysanthemum stone to some) from Vancouver Island.
FS419
FS24
Small Flowerstone with decent crystal development. This one's a good piece for tumbling but it's not quite ace material. Interesting variations again to its sides.
Vancouver Island Flowerstone. Sorry for the blue bucket.
A good sized piece of Flowerstone. I've found a few that seem to be the shape of bananas.
Here's a nice Flowerstone piece of off-white feldspar crystals on a dark gray background.
