Petrified Wood Slice from Arizona

A petrified wood slab from Arizona, a polished cross-section showing the clearly preserved growth ring structure of a Triassic tree. The polished front reads like a stratigraphic atlas in red, black, and white.

Petrified wood from Arizona originates from the Triassic Chinle Formation, a period approximately 225 million years ago. Silica-rich groundwater solutions penetrated the wood tissue cell by cell, replacing the organic substance molecularly with quartz and agate. Growth rings, vascular bundles, and medullary rays are preserved one to one.

The polished cross-section reveals the stratigraphy. Each growth ring corresponds to one year of growth of the Triassic tree, and each mineralization color zone corresponds to a geochemical phase. Iron oxides color it red-orange, manganese oxides black, and the quartz background white-grey.

The deposits in Petrified Forest National Park have been documented since the 19th century. Material from this region is among the most paleontologically significant worldwide and is now partially protected from collection.

Such Arizona cuts are paleobotanical documents of high collector relevance. Material quality, clean cut, and preservation make this piece a premium example of Triassic flora.