Also Known As:
Sand Rose, Rose Rock, Selenite Rose, Gypsum Rose, or Baryte Rose.
Name Origin:
The Desert Rose group of minerals gets its name from the fact that they form in arid, desert-like environments and form with a "rosette" crystal habit creating petal formations in the 
mineral.
Fun Fact:
The largest Desert Rose ever recorded was a single rose that was a full 17 inches long and weighed over 125 lbs! That is just a single rosette too, for the clusters of Desert Roses they have been recorded to be up to 40 inches tall and some have weighed over 1,000 lbs!
Mineral Information:
Mohs Hardness: 1.5 - 2
The Desert Rose is a unique mineral group that is formed from precipitation in arid, desert climates with trapped sand particles. The crystals form a circular array of flat plates, or "petals".
There can be different host minerals that make up the Rose, usually it is either gypsum, baryte, or celestine, but there can be a wide range of other host minerals as well! The Gypsum Roses tend to have more defined edges than the Baryte Roses. Because of the wide range of mineral hosts that these roses can be formed from, the color varies from opaque to transparent "petals" in brown to tan, cream, and even white.
Metaphysical Uses:
Desert Roses have had a rich history of beliefs and legends. Traditionally it was believed that each Desert Rose had a protective spirit or a guardian attached to it, and was a favorite of Shamans throughout time.
In modern practice, it is believed that the Desert Rose is supportive of personal development, positive change, and growing as an individual. They are thought to be connected with gently removing barriers from previous belief systems that you may have moved on from. A great meditation stone!
In the office/workplace/school, Desert Roses are believed to be a great stone for bringing out hidden talents and developing them, perfect for bringing with you to seminars, classes, and study sessions!
