Ruslan Yardanov, a Bulgarian traveller and blogger, shares a glimpse of his visit to the ‘Sahara Desert’, where the Desert rose, also known as the desert flower or sand rose, can be found in the Sahara desert and other regions with hot and dry weathers.
These sand roses can also be discovered in the salt lake of Chott el Djerid in South-West Tunisia and the neighbouring regions in Algeria and Ghadames, Libya.
Desert rose, also known as desert flower or sand rose, is a mineral that can only be found in hot, dry places. The stone is called Desert Rose for several reasons: the mineral can only be found in deserts; externally, the stone is very similar to a rose.
Of course, it’s far from the original flower—a significantly different colour. The mineral has several nuances (it all depends on the colour of the sand in the Desert). Usually, these are beige or yellowish tones. Today I will show you a desert rose in saudi arabia in the Alula area.
The size of the stone may vary as well. The crystals it consists of are primarily small. Therefore, the mineral reaches only 2-3 cm in diameter. But throughout history, there were cases when “desert roses” were more significant than 25 cm. Such unusual giant stones have been found in the Sahara Desert.
The petals of desert roses are pretty fragile but, at the same time, sharp as the blade of a knife. This is due to the large amount of salt contained. One must be extremely careful with them so they don’t get hurt.
Many are interested in how the Desert rose is formed. Many myths and legends are involved with this. But scientists have long discovered the secret to the appearance of an unusual mineral, explaining everything from a scientific point of view.
In order to form a stone, certain favourable conditions must be created in the Desert. The main thing in this process is moisture. After rainfall, sludge is quickly absorbed into the soil, which contains a high content of sand and plaster.
Under the blazing sun, the liquid evaporates, forming plaster crystals with an unusual twisted shape. In addition, the sand settles on them; it gives the mineral velvet.
“Desert Rose” is under a layer of sand, appearing only after sandstorms. In interaction with air and wind, it can bloom a little. This exciting and incredible process is possible because of sulfates in large quantities in the mineral.
Locals don’t always call the stone a “desert rose”. The second popular name is “Rose of the Sands”.